What we deserve
by rth723
Summary: Story of Kristina, Ethan, and Johnny.  Sometimes you think you know what you want, and sometimes what you want isn't what you need.  Started writing when Ethina looked like it was finally going somewhere and then GH threw it all away. Lost potential IMO


What we deserve

Kristina and Kate worked out an arrangement that required Kristina stay enrolled at PCU and work only enough hours where it did not interfere with her schoolwork. Kate really took Kristina under her wing and explained to her that the foundation for her success was always the fact that she scrimped and sacrificed to put herself through college and she would not have had the opportunities she did without first completing her education, and that the designers and executives she's now dealing with on a daily basis would not have given her the time of day without her degree. Alexis was forever in Kate's debt for explaining to her daughter what she herself multiple times attempted to but unfortunately fell on deaf ears.

Kristina now does carry a full load and goes between school and work with very little time in between. To Ethan's dismay Kristina has not had much time for him the last few months and to his surprise realization, he missed her. Kristina still has as strong a feelings for him as ever, however after the argument on the pier and overhearing Ethan emphasizing to Sonny that he had no feelings for her beyond friendship, she decided to try and focus on other things and give herself some time to get her head and heart straight. She knew in her heart that Ethan had feelings for her but was unwilling to admit it to himself, however her ego, and own heart, could only take so much rejection. She was nursing a broken heart but after spending more time with Kate she realized she didn't want to be one of these women that chased around after a man like a puppy. She watched how Kate handled herself day in and day out and watched how enamored men were with her because of her confidence and the way she carried herself. She admired that.

Kristina stepped off the elevator at Crimson and Maxie was already sitting at her desk furiously arguing with a shipper on the phone. She had to smile to herself. Maxie may say anything and everything that pops into her head and she also may say it at 100 miles per hour but she had a good heart and boy did she know her job.

Kristina handed her the grande, white chocolate soy mocha in her hand and went to put her bag and her own drink down at her desk.

"Listen, I am now officially done with this conversation. I do not have to justify this change to you. Do it, do it right, and do it now, or the next person calling you will be Kate Howard and I don't believe that would be good for either of us do you?" Maxie did not wait for a response and hung up the phone with a small 'slam'.

"Geez, I do not have time for incompetent, opinionated, little men that think they can push me around. Hey Kristina, I'm glad you're here. Ok, we have a million things to do today. Did you read over the plan that Kate detailed out for the anniversary party?"

"Yes, and it sounds amazing! I can't believe I'm actually going to be a part of the 5 year anniversary celebration for Crimson!" she smiled brightly and then paused "I'm just sorry Jax couldn't be here too. I am glad Kate is going to thank him for all he did to start up this magazine with her. He was always so sweet and funny. I miss the way he could get my mom to laugh." she said as if remembering an instance in particular.

"I know, I'm sorry Kristina, but we are going to make this party a success and make him proud and Kate happy which then makes it easier on me!"

"Ok, here are all the things I need you to take care of today. I've already discussed the colors and details that Kate wants with Olivia so she said the Metro Court will be ready and perfect, but of course I don't trust anybody after Sam's nightmare of a wedding went screwy on me so I want you behind them every time I'm not ok?" Kristina nodded in agreement. "Absolutely."

"Ok, I also need you to make accommodations for Mr. James Mason, and Mr. Anthony Ford. They are the representatives from Nydam, it's a new chain out west that's thinking about dropping a large amount of advertising in our lap and actually signing a multi-year contract to guarantee certain spots just for them." She said as she gathered her things and started to make her way to the elevator. "Kate has been aggressively going after that contract so she wants them treated like royalty. Set them up with suites at the Metro, a car and driver, the works. Their itinerary is in that purple folder. Call me if you need anything. Gotta go yell at a few more people to try and get this party started. Later."

Kristina quickly looked at the itinerary for the gentlemen coming, it appeared they would be arriving tomorrow and be here for about 7days and leave the day after the anniversary party. She quickly made all the hotel and driver arrangements, and made dinner reservations for 3 at the Metro Court tomorrow night, but she was sure she was missing something. "Ok" she said to herself. "If I was here for business that long wouldn't I want some entertainment too?" She immediately got to looking to see what was going on in Port Charles that would be decent things to occupy their time. She figured she could plan out a few things different days and then when they arrived they could pick and choose what they would like to do. She saw the fall festival was starting that week, not exactly designer duds on display but not horrible fun either. She moved on to the opening of the new art gallery on 5th, Kate was not available that evening but maybe Maxie would be. She wanted one more thing but couldn't decide and then it hit her. The Haunted Star. She'd been purposely avoiding Ethan trying to give him some space and herself too but this wasn't about him or her this was about Kate and she wanted to impress Kate and help her any way she could. The Haunted Star is always a good night out for the business crowd. After a moment of contemplating and acceptance of what she wanted to do she picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hello." Oh, how she missed his voice. "Hi Ethan, it's Kristina."

"Kristina hi, how are you?" Ethan asked happy to hear her voice.

"I'm good thanks" trying to sound as if it was just an ordinary day for her, "Hey, I'm working on something for Kate Howard and I wanted to see the Haunted Star's schedule for the night after tomorrow?"

"We're open for business. I don't expect a huge crowd but I have had a few confirm tables already. Why?"

"Well can you hold a table for Kate too? It most likely will be her, Maxie, and 2 other gentlemen. She's entertaining some clients and I thought what better place in Port Charles than the Star."

Smiling at how great she seems to be doing and the sly compliment she worked in there. "That's true Love. Sure, I'll hold a table for her."

"Great! I'll confirm with you that morning if it is for sure but hopefully it will be. I appreciate it."

"Hey Kristina, I haven't heard from you in a while. How are you feeling , I mean with your back and walking and all?"

"Good, I'm already back in heels. The doctor gave me the release last week and just told me to take it as I feel, but he warned me that heels were bad for my back and legs in the long run. Like that was going to stop me." She missed talking to him but refused to fall back into the habit of following him around, even if secretly that was what she wanted to do.

Laughing at the thought of her without heels. "Yeah, I don't know that I'd even be able to see you if you didn't have them on."

"Ha Ha very funny." She said dryly with a small smirk as she pretended to give him a dirty look over the phone. "Well, hey I've got to get back to work but thanks and I'll uh..see you around." Her heart just twisted talking to him again.

"I hope so Kristina. Hey do you want to grab a bite tomorrow at Kelly's and catch me up on your new fashion lifestyle?" he asked trying to not sound as hopeful as he was, and surprised that he was.

"Uh, sure. I don't think I can stay long though, these people are arriving in the afternoon and I think Kate needs me here." Trying to lay the foundation for her escape if by chance she couldn't keep her emotions in check.

"Well, I'll take what I can get I guess." He smiled into the phone glad for the opportunity to see her.

"Ok, well see you tomorrow." She hung up the phone with a lump in her throat. Come on get it together Kristina. She kept thinking to herself as she shook her head as if trying to shake the image of Ethan and his sly smile and wavy locks out of her head. "Let it go." She said out loud to herself.

"Let what go?" Kate asked as she came up behind Kristina. She jumped and gasped. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Catching her breath, "No I'm sorry. I just am a little jumpy I guess. Anyway, uh, here is your coffee and the messages that need your attention. Maxie had me make arrangements for the 2 gentlemen coming from Nydam tomorrow and I have their accommodations set up at the Metro Court with dinner tomorrow night there with you. I also have a few things I'm planning to keep them entertained for the week they will be here. You don't have to use them if you don't want to I just thought I'd get something planned out just to keep them busy."

"No, that sounds great. Let me review what you have in mind though. Shoot me an email." She took her messages and coffee and went into her office. Maxie has sometimes made comments on how having Kristina there has mellowed Kate a little. It's almost as if she sees her as fragile given all that she has gone through in the last few years and given her friendship with Alexis and past with Sonny she is protective of her.

A few hours pass and Kristina gets ready to head to class. "Kate, I finished sending out those emails and got your changes to copy. I'm heading to class and will be back tomorrow. Do you need anything before I go?" she asks as she stands in Kate's doorway.

"Yes, come on in." Kristina walks in and stands nervously in front of her desk. "I saw the itinerary you put together for Mr. Mason and Ford, and it looks excellent. You did a good job. I really don't believe I would have thought of the Haunted Star myself. It's different but I like it. You are really growing into this position."

"Thanks." She said almost in shock. "I'll see you tomorrow." Kate nodded her head and smiled and Kristina made her exit. She wasn't sure why she had such a fondness for Kristina. Maybe it was because she was almost her stepmother or because for such a young girl she has gone through so much pain already. She did not want to shelter her from the cut throat world that IS this business but she also wasn't about to throw her to the wolves with the sink or swim tactic that she used with Maxie. It worked with Maxie and Kate although she wouldn't admit it takes great pride in Maxie too, but she just can't do that with Kristina. She allowed herself a small smile as she heard the elevator doors close and then went back to work.

Later that afternoon.

Kristina was about to get out of her car at the lakehouse when she caught a glimpse of herself in the rearview mirror. She changed since work and had her long hair pulled back in a ponytail and wore a screened t-shirt and skinny jeans. She had made herself comfortable in the university crowd and hadn't spent much time grooming herself since she decided to leave Ethan alone. She stopped for a moment and looked at her reflection and then Kate's word of "you're really growing into this position" rang in her head. She ran her hand down her ponytail slowly and then closed the car door again and pulled back out of the driveway.

The afternoon.

Ethan had ordered his coffee, Kristina's mocha, and 2 muffins when he heard the door open behind him at Kelly's. He turned around expecting to see Kristina coming in and had to stop to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

Kristina stood there in a fitted black dress with a long wool pink dress coat, and her long hair now cut into a chic A-line with bangs. She looked much older than her barely 19 years that he knew she was.

Kristina took her black leather gloves off and warmed her hands by rubbing them together as she entered Kelly's. Although she didn't change her appearance for Ethan she couldn't help but take pleasure in the shocked look on his face as she approached him.

"Hi." She offered a small smile.

"Hi yourself. You look great. When did you cut your hair?" he asked still staring at her.

"Oh, just barely. It was time for a change." she smiled at him. "Did you order already?"

"Yeah, I ordered your usual Mocha and chocolate chip muffin. I wasn't sure if you wanted a sandwich or something."

"Oh, thanks, but I usually get just a soy latte now and I'm not that hungry."

"Oh, sorry. Uh, miss." He motions over to the waitress "Can I change that Mocha to a Soy latte please and only 1 muffin. Thanks."

They walk over to a table and he pulls out her chair for her.

"I feel like I'm almost a stranger, you seem too have changed on me overnight."

Kristina smiles at him. "Sorry, I just usually don't have much time to eat anymore in the afternoon and trust me you don't want to get chocolate on one of Kate's mock ups." He laughs. "So, what about you, what have you been up to?" she asks as she takes a sip of her latte.

"Not much. Just trying to keep the Haunted Star up and running without Luke and Lulu right now."

"I thought Luke was back in town. That's what my mom told me."

"He was for a bit but he took off again when he heard about some Helena rumblings going on overseas. That's all he would tell me, and Lulu is trying to get Dante back up and on his feet."

"He's working really hard to get back to 100%. He's starting to lift weights again and is walking well, so I'm sure she won't be out of commission much longer. How are you running the Haunted Star alone?"

"Believe it or not Tracy has been a great help. She says she thinks it's my calling more than Lulu's. Come to think of it I wonder if that was a compliment or not." He flashes her that coy smile he has perfected.

Just then Kristina's cell rings and she picks it up. "Sorry, it's work."

"Hello."

"Yes, it's Mr Mason and Mr Ford. They should be landing in about 15 minutes at Gate 9." Ethan drinks his coffee and picks at his muffin while he waits for her to get off. "Are you joking? You're joking. Don't tell me that! Ok, uh, just hurry like you're life depends on it and I'll try and get over there and stall." Her eyes bug out and she's already up from her chair.

"Ethan I'm so sorry but I've got a crisis I have to tend to. I've got some important clients of Kate that are about to land and the car I ordered is stuck in traffic on the freeway."

"Sure. No problem, can I help with anything?"

"Thanks, but I'm just going to try to find a backup car and charm them for a few minutes until one or the other arrives."

"I've got an idea. Here, I'll explain on the way."

They pick up their things and rush out the door.

(20 minutes later at the airport)

Kristina holds a sign that says James Mason and Anthony Ford. Two men come off the escalator and to a halt in front of her. One is a distinguished gentleman with piercing blue eyes, light brown hair, and just a touch of grey on his temples. He fairly tall and reminds her of an older Bradley Cooper type. He has such a commanding presence she isn't getting a good look at the other man.

"I'm James Mason but I don't think you're exactly strong enough to carry my bags." He gives her a quizzical look with a mischievous grin that lets her know he is teasing her.

She smiles broadly and extends her hand out to shake his. "I'm stronger than I look, I assure you. Hi, I'm Kristina Davis, one of Kate Howards' assistants. It's so nice to meet you Mr. Mason."

"Likewise Ms. Davis, this is my nephew Anthony Ford." The younger man steps up and extends his hand to hers. He has the same piercing blue eyes but with blonde hair and what could only be described as a perfect California tan.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Davis." He shakes her hand and flashes her a smile that looked like it belonged on a headshot. "Please, call me Kristina."

"Only if you agree to call me Andy?"

"Wow, I would have guessed Tony for short with the name Anthony. "

"Tony sounds way too Italian mobster for me, people have called me Andy since I was a kid."

Kristina had to smile albeit nervously at that Italian mobster comment. "Well, it's nice to meet you too Andy." Turning back to Mr. Mason. "I hope your flight was pleasant."

"As pleasant as a 6 hour flight can be I suppose, but please call me James."

"Of course. Well, I would assume you'd like to check in to your hotel first and freshen up. Kate has a meeting scheduled for you at 5pm at Crimson, followed by dinner tonight at the Metro Court at 8pm."

"Sounds perfect." James picked up his carry on and was ready to follow Kristina but she didn't move. She just smiled and kept nervously looking over her shoulder. "Kristina is everything alright?" James asked her.

"Uhh…Yes, fine, it's just um…(sigh) ok, well…"

"I'm sorry I'm late Ms. Davis, I was trying to find the closest spot possible." Ethan ran up next to her looking slightly out of breath, but very much the part of a driver in a pair of black pants, coat, and with a white shirt and drivers' hat.

"Oh, that's fine thank you." She gave Ethan a much bigger thank you with her eyes. "Mr. Mason, uh I mean James, sorry, and Andy, this is your driver Ethan."

"Hello sirs, please let me get those for you and if you'd follow me to your car we will have you over to the finest hotel in Port Charles thanks to Ms. Davis here, in no time." Ethan grabs there bags and leads the way.

Metro Court

"Oh my god Ethan, I can't believe we just pulled that off! Thank you, thank you SO much! I owe you!" she pulled him into a hug, which Ethan was happy to reciprocate.

"It was no problem. Luke has that car for the high rollers we entertain at the Star from time to time and he always has this suit in the trunk for appearances."

"Well, I'm serious I owe you one. Kate would have freaked if our first impression got screwed up."

"Trust me Kristina your first impression on anyone would not screw anything up. You're really doing well for yourself."

She stood back and just absorbed that compliment from Ethan. "Thank you, that means a lot to me and especially from you."

They stood for a moment just looking at each other until they were interrupted by Johnny coming out of the Metro Court.

"Hey Ethel, I'm glad I…" he paused when he saw Kristina. "Wow, Kristina, you look great! I love the hair."

"Thanks Johnny." Kristina had to take just a little satisfaction out of getting the attention now that she would have killed for 2 months ago. "Well hey I better get up to Crimson but I'll talk to you guys later. Thanks again Ethan."

"Quit thanking me Love. It was my pleasure."

"See ya." With that she walked back inside to take the elevator upstairs to the Crimson offices.

Johnny stared at Kristina and then back at Ethan who was watching Kristina get into the elevator. Smirking he smacked him on the back of his shoulders.

"Now wait a minute here Ethel am I detecting a chink in your armor? Mr. I don't have feelings for Kristina, or she's too young for me."

"She IS too young for me man, look I just helped her out of a jam today is all."

"Yeah right. That wasn't exactly a brotherly look you were giving her pal. I can't say as I blame you. I mean, she's always been a beautiful girl but she seems to be coming into her own now and the girl part is just dropping away. Now, she's young sure but she's definitely a woman."

"Look, mate, I really don't want to get into this right now. She's just a kid, that's it quit trying to say I feel more than I do." He grumbled not quite comfortable with the way Johnny was speaking about Kristina.

"Yeah well, if you really don't than I guess I'm wrong but you could have fooled me because I really thought you did. But hey, anyway, I need you to do some work for me tonight."

"Sure mate, what is it?"

"I need you to scope out the warehouse on Central Ave, see if there anyone and anything coming in and out of there. You can get a good view of it from the roof of the bike shop two spots down."

"Ok. I'll check in with you when I'm done. Is there something in particular I'm looking for?"

"Since the old man got booted back to prison I think some people might be looking at this as an opportunity to make a run on some of my interests and I've got to make sure they don't get a foot hold to do it or there will be more that follow."

"Doesn't sound like it's a good time to be you." He said trying to lighten the load that it looked like Johnny was carrying around with him.

"Yeah, tell me about it. I better get going though. I'll check in with you later. Thanks man."

"Alright, catch you later."

With that Johnny left and Ethan took one more look inside then let out an exasperated groan and shuffled his fingers through his hair. "Ah, snap out of it mate." He said to himself before leaving.

Crimson

Kristina was busy organizing the files Kate needed for her meeting. She finally finished and turned to head into Kate's office and ran smack into Andy losing her grip on the files. She and Andy both instinctively grabbed for the files before they hit the floor and smacked heads in the process.

"Oww! Oh, I'm so sorry." She gingerly grabbed the side of her forehead that smacked with Andy's.

"Mmm yeah, no, it's ok, don't worry about it. I'm sorry I didn't mean to sneak up on you." He picked up the one file that managed to escape them and hit the floor. "But at least we didn't drop all your work there, just this one."

"Oh, don't , please I'll take care of that you don't have to." She said as she tried to gather the couple of loose papers that slipped out.

"Please it's no bother." He handed the file back to her.

"Thank you"

"My Uncle is just a minute or two behind me."

"Oh, that's fine. Kate is just finishing up a phone call and she'll be ready for you. You're more than welcome to take a seat if you'd like."

"I'm good standing thanks. We were flying for so long I'm actually feeling like a good stretch or something you know like a run or a walk around town, just something to stretch my legs."

"There is a world class gym right here in the Metro Court if you'd like, as well as a sauna. But, I know what you mean. I hate sitting for long periods of time. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have classes all day long. By the end of the day I usually go for a short run or swim. I have to have that stretch."

"So you're still in college? Wow, I wouldn't have guessed it you look about 25."

"Thanks, I'm hearing that a little bit lately." She had to allow herself a small smile. "I'm 19."

"Well, Ms. Davis, you are a very beautiful 19." He flashed her, what appeared to be a very genuine smile, that made her blush.

Just then his Uncle stepped off the elevator. "Sorry I'm late Andy."

"It's fine Uncle James. Ms. Davis here was just keeping me entertained." He looked from his Uncle back to Kristina. She desperately tried to keep her cheeks from turning bright red.

"Well, I guess you owe me a drink at dinner then for that favor." He teased his nephew.

"Will you be joining us for dinner Kristina?" Andy asked with a hopeful glint in his eye.

"Oh no I'm sorry. I usually don't accompany Kate on business dinners."

"But, I'm sure we can make an exception tonight Kristina." Kate chimed in coming out of her office and gave her a 'yes you will' look.

"Well, wonderful now that that is settled let's get down to business." James then turned to Kate and kissed her cheek. "It's wonderful to see you again Kate. I don't believe you have met my nephew Andy."

"No, I have not had the pleasure. It's nice to meet you Andy. Your Uncle speaks very highly of you, and tells me you will be handling the advertising for the Manhattan store you were looking at opening in the Spring."

"Yes, that is the plan. I hope to make him proud."

"I'm sure you will. Well, please come in my office and have a seat. I'll be right with you." Kate ushered the gentlemen into her office and turned back to Kristina.

"Kristina, have them send some gowns up from downstairs for you to wear to dinner tonight so you don't have to go home and change."

"Kate, are you sure you want…"

"Yes. It'll be a good learning experience for you." She smiled at her. "My dress is already here so we'll change here after we iron out some things and then meet them downstairs for dinner. After you take care of that come on in the office and you can listen in."

"Ok, I'll be right there. Thank you."

Kristina turned back to her desk. She could not believe she was about to sit in on the biggest advertising contract negotiation Crimson has ever had! Breathe, she told herself. "I wonder what the rest of the night will bring?"

Chapter 2

After dinner at the Metro Court Andy asked Kristina if she would like to join him for a stroll around Port Charles to stretch his legs and maybe get a coffee. Although she was taken a little off guard she found herself agreeing. She showed him the harvest festival that was being set up for, and they walked around the park talking about college. He graduated USC just this spring. They settled on Kelly's for their coffee and then walked down the pier with them in the night air. Kristina was having a better time than she's had in a very long time.

"See that island over there?" she stretched her arm out to point at Spoon Island and Wyndemere. "That is my cousin Nikolas' home. There is a stable around back and you can go riding for hours out there. It's so peaceful which is ironic because although the house is beautiful and rich with culture it is kind of creepy."

"Wow, it looks amazing. I'd love to see that place while I'm here. That is one thing about west coast living is you do not see homes like that out west. It looks so ancestral."

"I'm sure we could go look around. He isn't home right now. He left Port Charles indefinitely for awhile but my mom has a key. Maybe the night after I could take you out there."

"Why not tomorrow night?"

"Ah, you have not read your itinerary have you?" she arched her eyebrow and looked at him mock sternly.

"Yup, you caught me. Sorry." He tilted his head down as if mock bowing.

"Well, Kate will be taking you and your Uncle to that floating casino out there in the harbor. Do you see it?" she leans in closer to him to point it out.

He takes a moment and breathes in the sweet smell of berries and maybe vanilla in her hair. "Uhm, yeah, oh yeah. I see it. It's pretty big. You're not coming?"

She shakes her head and steps back to sit on the bench. "No, sorry, not 21 yet. My friend's dad owns the place and I stop by during the day from time to time but at night it would get them in trouble, although in my younger days I did sneak in there once."

"Little bit of a rebel child were you?" he leans against the stair railing and sips his drink.

"Something like that." She gave him a half smile not really wanting to get into that memory. Which didn't go unnoticed by Andy.

"Hey, I'm sorry, did I hit a nerve?"

"Oh no, it's fine." She tried to say as nonchalantly as possible. "Sometimes I shudder to think of the way I acted. It's definitely a conversation that would make for a longer night and I better get you back to the Metro Court." She moved to stand up and caught her heel in the floor board. She stumbled forward and Andy caught her before she hit the floor.

She looked up at him to say thank you and caught a look from him that caused her to pause. The way he looked at her was new to her and she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. It was gentle yet strong, radiated heat, yet sent a shiver down her neck, and as luck would have it, Ethan chose that very moment to come walking through that same pier. He saw them in this position from the top of the stairs and froze in his tracks, neither noticing his presence and him frozen by the image of this man with his arms around Kristina.

Andy slowly pulled her up yet held her close to him, never changing his gaze on her. He moved his hand to push a strand of hair behind her ear. The touch of his hand caused Kristina to hold her breath. Andy slowly traced his fingers from her ear down her chin and then bringing it up to his and ever so softly kissed her. The moment their lips touched felt like a punch in the gut to Ethan. Every fiber in him wanted to leap down the stairs and punch this bloke straight on the jaw, but all he could do was quietly take two steps back and lean against the wall so that he could hear but no longer have to witness the sight. He covered his own mouth with his hand so as to muffle the angry gust of air wanting to escape him in the form of a primal yell!

After a few moments passed, although it seemed like an eternity to Ethan, they broke apart slowly. Kristina tried to focus her eyes and finally let out the breath she had been holding in. "Andy, I…" she tried to say something but couldn't think of anything.

"I'm sorry Kristina, it's just that I have been wanting to do that all night. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met."

Ethan's hand moved from his mouth to rubbing over his entire face at the frustration of listening to this, this…California musclehead!

"Andy, I'm, I, I'm sorry, I just don't have any words. You caught me completely off guard, but…thank you, I've enjoyed spending my day with you today. It's been more fun than I have had in a long time." She leaned back into him and kissed his cheek.

"Well, how about instead of you seeing me back to the Metro Court, I see you home safely?" he flashed her his best smile and extended his arm.

"Sure. Thanks Andy." She accepted his arm and they walked off together.

Ethan walked back out from around the corner and made his way down the stairs. He watched them until they disappeared out of his sight. He had this overwhelming urge to hit something. He ran both hand through his hair and ripped at it with frustration then turned around and picked up the nearest thing to him, which was a garbage can and threw it off the pier!

"Wo Ethel, what the hell is wrong with you?" Johnny came towards him from the other direction. Ethan spun around and gave him an angry look.

"Just back off alright mate!" he barked back.

"Hey, hey, whatever it is I didn't do it." Johnny said holding his hands out in front of him to try and get Ethan to back down.

Ethan let out a strong sigh and shook his head as if to shake the image from it. "I'm sorry alright, sorry." He sat down on the bench behind him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Johnny walked around and sat down next to him.

"No."

"Ok, well, how about we change the subject then. What did you come up with for me?"

"Oh, yeah, well, I recognized a couple of people from the Santo family so it's them but as far as what they were moving I can't be sure. Given the size of the crates and my gut feeling I'm going to say guns but I couldn't get a close enough look."

"Great, well, that's what I was afraid of, but oh well, that's the business right." He tried to make it sound like he was less worried than he was. "Thanks man. So, you want to tell me what's got you so pissed off?"

"Nothing mate, I'm fine, I think I'm just going to go and grab a drink." Brushing off Johnny's question and standing up to leave.

"Alright man, I'll let it drop. Try not to get yourself into too much trouble because by the look in your eye it looks like you're looking for some and I may need you again sooner rather than later." He pats Ethan on the back. "I'll catch you later."

Ethan had to get this image out of his head and with that thought he headed off to Jake's.

Lakehouse

It had been an hour since Andy dropped her off at home. Kristina couldn't get the thought of that kiss out of her head. She kept thinking about her life and how if you really thought about it Kiefer is the only boyfriend she has ever known. Sure, she's chased after Ethan for a good almost 2 years but with no feelings being reciprocated really the only boyfriend she has had is one that beat her and made her feel worthless. Andy seems to be so sweet, and he's very cute, but there is just something that isn't there. Why can't it be there? Why can't life just be easy and she can like someone that actually likes her too, rather than chasing after someone that doesn't want to be with her? Why can't she just get rid of these feelings she has for Ethan? These thoughts kept consuming her until she just couldn't take it anymore and got up. She pulled on her jeans, boots, didn't bother to change her pink sleep tank top, and grabbed her black leather coat and went out the door. She jumped in her car and dialed Ethan. It rang but no answer. She had to find him and settle this once and for all. She dialed the next number she thought of.

"Hello."

"Hey Johnny, it's Kristina."

"Hey Kristina, what's up, it's kind of late isn't it?"

"Yeah, sorry, I was just trying to get ahold of Ethan. I needed to catch up with him if I could, have you seen him?"

"Yeah, about an hour ago at the pier. I think he was headed towards Jakes though."

"Oh, ok, well thanks Johnny I appreciate it."

"Anytime. I'll see you later."

"Bye."

Ok, well I guess Jake's it is then. She started her car and headed that way.

Jakes

"Listen kid you know I'll take your money all night long but I think you're ready to call it a night tonight." Coleman took the empty bottle off Ethan's table.

Smiling a very drunken smile at Coleman Ethan stretched his arms out to either side of him. "Oh come on Coleman, I remember when this place used to be the most fun you could find in Port Charles! What happened to those days?"

"Well kid, it still is but I don't think you are really looking for fun tonight. If I had to range a guess I'd say you are looking more to forget something than find something."

"Nope, no Sir, not me. I'm looking for plain and simple no strings attached fun!"

"Well kid then I think that pretty blonde at the end of the bar might be able to help with that the way she's had her eye on you." He gave him a nod in the blonde's direction. Ethan still had the image of Kristina with that stupid California kid in his head and couldn't think of a better way to get rid of it than to make an image of his own. He walked over to the blonde and offered to buy her a drink.

About 15 minutes later Kristina came walking in to Jakes and went straight to Coleman to try and get permission before coming too much further in.

"Hey Coleman, I know I'm not supposed to be in here but I was wondering if you've seen Ethan? Johnny told me he might be here and I really need to talk to him."

"Oh, well I won't make a habit of this but I know you're not too far off from being a regular for me her in another year or so. " looking around for a moment, "You know, I think he went out the back because he was just there a second ago." Pointing at the spot at the end of the bar.

"Ok, thanks Coleman."

"My pleasure."

She walked through and just as she turned into the hallway she saw Ethan in a tight lip lock with a blonde woman in what could only be described as an 'I want sex' outfit.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and turned back around. Leaning against the other side of the wall to catch her breath, she couldn't help but let a tear slide down her cheek before furiously wiping it away.

Out front

Johnny was about to walk into Jake's to grab a drink and maybe catch up with Ethan after what has been a long night. He was trying not to show it but the stress of the latest group after him was starting to get to him. As he turned the corner before heading into Jake's he felt what had to be the butt end of a gun straight to the back of his neck and fell to the ground.

"Pick him up" the one man said to the man that clubbed Johnny. As the other man bent down to grab him he heard the click of a woman's heels coming out of the bar.

"Back off" he quietly and sternly ordered the other man motioning for him to take cover.

Wiping tears from her eyes Kristina was rushing out of Jakes grabbing for her car keys in her jacket pocket when she almost tripped over Johnny on the ground.

"Johnny! Oh my god, Johnny wake up, are you ok?" she was trying to turn him over.

"Mmm, Kristina? Wha…" with that he tried to force his eyes open and tried to shoot up faster than he should have. He ended up slamming his back against the building.

"Owww!"

"Johnny don't move."

"Kristina, get back!" he shoved her arms back and with one hand grabbed the back of his head and the other he was reaching for his gun in his back.

Kristina stayed crouched down next to him looking in the alley to see if Johnny saw something she didn't. He pushed himself up the wall with his gun drawn.

"Go Kristina! Get out of here!" he screamed at her still trying to focus where he was pointing his gun.

"No! I'm not going to leave you here!" scared but firmly planted at Johnny's side.

He grabbed Kristina and shoved her behind him. "Come on then let's go! Hurry!"

Penthouse

Johnny opened his door and ushered Kristina inside. He threw his jacket on the couch and went to pour himself a drink while still holding the back of his head. He didn't know if he was angrier with the fact that somebody nearly killed him or the fact that Kristina is now drug into his mess as he's positive someone had to have seen her with him now. Either way, he needed a drink. A drink, and some aspirin.

He downed his drink in one shot and then winced in pain from throwing his head back.

"Johnny sit down please!" Kristina moved to help him stop and rest himself on the couch. He's been running on adrenaline since they left Jakes.

"I'm going to get you some ice ok?" she took off her jacket and threw it on the couch then ran into the kitchen.

"Kristina I'm sorry to drag you into my mess."

"Who attacked you?" she called at him from the kitchen and then came in with some ice wrapped in a dish towel. She sat next to him on the couch and placed it on his neck. He winced. "Sorry." She winced with him in sympathy.

"It's ok. I don't know who it was. I was just walking into Jakes when someone hit me from behind. I think I have an idea of who it was but I can't be sure just yet."

"It wasn't my dad was it?" she asked not really sure she wanted the answer.

"No, I don't think this time it was him." He tried to smile at her reassuringly. He moved to get back up for another drink but Kristina put her hands on his chest and held him in that spot on the couch.

"Look, I know you're trying to be rough and tough here but you just got hit on the back of the head, I don't think you should be drinking."

"I'm ok Kristina it's just a big lump right now." He tried to get up again but she kept her hands where they were.

"Ok, look, I'll get it for you ok, just stay there." She got up and fixed him another drink.

He took it from her extended hand as she sat back down next to him. "Thanks. Look Kristina I'm sorry you got caught up in my world again. I'd do anything to not have you involved right now, but for what it's worth I think you saved my life. Thanks."

Smiling at him with a sadness behind her eyes remembering why she was there in the first place. "I'm glad I was in the right place at the right time." She walked over and fixed herself her own drink as Johnny watched her. She drank it in one swallow following Johnny's lead, but given her throat was not used to hard liquor it responded with some strong coughs.

Johnny smiled at her but then said something as he saw her pouring herself another. "Whoa, Kristina I think you should slow down."

"You know Johnny I don't know if you've noticed but I'm not a child anymore and if this works for you to forget what happened to you tonight than I might as well give it a try too." She took another swallow and sat down next to John.

"Are you ok?" he took the ice off his neck and looked at her sincerely.

"Yeah, I'm fine" she said unconvincingly taking another sip. Johnny looked at her and just waited, seeing that something was forming and on its way out.

"Do you ever wish that you could just take off and go, I mean really just disappear for a while from everything that has to do with who you are? Taking off and being someone other than you for just a little while?"

Smirking and staring off contemplating how great what she just said sounded to him. "Yeah, I do." He got up and got another drink and then sat back down.

"I wouldn't want you to do that though. I like you for who you are."

That was exactly the wrong thing to say to her at that very moment because silent tears just started falling down either of her cheeks.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry." He set his drink down and wiped the tears from her cheeks with both of his hands and held her face. "Are you okay?"

She nodded her head silently. "Yeah, I'm sorry, I just have an image in my head I want to forget, and I don't know…" she stopped and then looked at Johnny and held her breath.

He wasn't sure how he got to be in the spot he was in but it was almost like the deer caught in the headlights. He could see something coming but he couldn't look away and truth be told he really didn't want to. They held each other's gaze and then somehow fell into a soft kiss. It lasted a moment and then they slowly separated. The taste of her salty tears and the smell of her shampoo made his already dizzy head spin even more. She looked back into his eyes and then crept closer to him and kissed him again, except this time with more urgency and she could feel her body responding to the closeness of Johnny's body to hers. On his part Johnny was feeling the same way but as he felt himself scoot closer to her and his arms move to envelop her, he realized what he was doing and pulled back.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." He stammered trying to catch his breath and regain his senses.

"I wanted you too." She said breathlessly and this time placed her hands on either side of his face and pulled herself back to him. He returned her kiss with just as much passion and then her small hands started unbuttoning his shirt. It was off his back when he stopped again. His eyes showing her how much he wanted her but also showing he didn't want to do anything she wasn't ready for.

"Are you…are you sure?" he held his hands down by her small waist.

She looked longingly at him breathing hard, slowly kissed his lips and then pulled back and pulled her tank top off over her head exposing her bra. His gaze on her made her feel like there was nothing else in the world happening at that moment but what was happening between them. He scooped her up and kissed her as he carried her up the stairs.

Chapter 3

Kristina rolled over and her body was rejecting the fact that it was morning. The covers felt so soft and warm she melted into them. She slowly opened her eyes and Johnny's sleeping face came into her view. She held her breath for a moment and then allowed herself to drink in the sight of him. His strong arms and muscular chest matched the equally strong features of his face. She's always felt safe with him. This was very different from being with Keifer. The memory made her turn away from him in the bed and pull the covers into a tight ball in her hands. The movement woke Johnny. He looked over and saw Kristina's small frame in the bed. She was so beautiful, but oh my god what did he do? How could he let his body rule over his head? He knows better than this. Kristina deserves better than this. She's an amazing woman and has been a great friend to him. He reached out and slid his fingertips up and down her arm. Her skin was so soft. She suddenly moved her arm in a motion that let him know she was wiping her eyes. Oh no, did he hurt her?

"Kristina, are you okay?" he withdrew his hand from her arm and moved to stroking her hair, his heart jumping into his throat at the thought of hurting her.

"No Johnny, it's ok. It's not you." She turned over to face him. She had glassy eyes but gave him a smile. She reached out to hold his hand and she took a breath before speaking. "It's just…I was just thinking of how sweet you are to me." She tightened her lips in a smile to herself that showed she was trying to swallow the thoughts that were in her head, and leaned into him and put her head on his chest.

"Kristina please tell me what's wrong. Are you okay? Did I …" he couldn't get the words out, not wanting to hear if he did.

"Johnny I'm ok. You didn't hurt me. Don't think that. It's actually the opposite." She picked her head up off of his chest and laid it on his arm while she looked towards him. "I woke up and I saw you lying next to me and it's just that...well, you're the first person I've been with since Keifer and it was very different. To be honest I didn't know if I was going to like having sex because well, Keifer wasn't exactly gentle or loving at all."

His jaw clenched at the thought of what that ass put Kristina through but breathed a sigh of relief that she was ok and he didn't hurt her.

"Being with you was very different, but in a very good way, don't worry." She blushed under his gaze at her.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry you had to experience what you did with Keifer. It shouldn't have been that way for you."

"Thanks. I uh, guess, I better get going." She grabbed hold of the sheet to cover herself as she got up from the bed.

"Kristina, wait. I feel like maybe we should talk about what happened. I'm…"

"No Johnny, you don't have to worry I know what this was. We both just had a really hard night that we probably wanted to forget and it just sort of happened. I'm ok and I don't want you to worry that I think this was more than what it was. I needed to be with someone too, and I'm glad it was you." She turned back around and then turned back to him. "Do you mind if I take a shower?"

"No, not at all. I'll uh, set out a shirt you can change into and I'll go make us some breakfast."

"Thanks. I'll just be a minute."

He watched her head into the bathroom and wondered how Sonny Corinthos' daughter wound up being one of the best friend's he's ever had and how he got so lucky as to have been able to make love to her. Not sure what he was feeling at that moment he decided to put it out of his mind and go make breakfast.

Jake's

Ethan stumbled downstairs into Jake's very much hung over. Coleman was drinking a cup of coffee and looking over some papers.

"Hey kid, how you feeling?"

"Like death would be a welcome relief right about now." He leaned over the counter. "How did I get upstairs?"

"You don't remember?" he set down his papers and looked up at Ethan smirking.

"I wouldn't ask if I remembered mate." Not really in the mood to play a guessing game.

"Well, that lovely little thing you disappeared with slapped you so hard when you called her someone else's name that you hit your head on my payphone on the way down and passed out." Laughing "I hauled you upstairs and let you sleep it off."

"Hmmm, maybe I'm glad I don't remember that. Well, thanks Coleman. How much do I owe you?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll pay me back someday kid."

"Thanks man." With that he turned and walked out. He was about 4 feet outside Jake's when he saw a wallet on the floor. He bent down and picked it up. Opening it he saw it was John's. "What the hell." He wondered out loud how John's wallet came to be on the floor outside Jake's. He decided to go check on him.

Penthouse.

Johnny set out two cups of coffee and went back in the kitchen to get two bowls. He wiped his hands clean on his sweat pants as he dripped coffee on them and those were all the clothes he had on.

Just then there was a knock at this door. "Who is it?" he yelled as he walked over.

"It's me mate!" Ethan yelled back. Johnny froze with his hand on the door knob. No matter what Ethan says he is sure he has feelings for Kristina. Oh Christ this just got more complicated. "Come on man open up."

He opened the door but only halfway and stood in the door way so as to block Ethan's entrance.

Ethan out of habit had already started to take a step in when he almost ran straight into Johnny's chest. "What's going on with you? Do I not get to come in?" he looked at him confused.

"It's uh, not a good time man, how about I meet you at Kelly's in about an hour?"

"Well how about I buy with this found money I lucked into this morning outside of Jake's." he held up his wallet.

"Johnny, have you seen my jeans?" Kristina came down the stairs yelling.

With the sound of her voice Ethan's eyes about popped out of his head and Johnny grimaced and lowered his as he took a step back and opened his door wider. There she was, standing on his staircase in nothing but one of Johnny's black t-shirts and her hair soaking wet. If this wasn't such an awkward moment standing in between Ethan and Kristina he would have told her how amazing she looked like that.

"Ethan." Kristina stared at him almost frozen as she realized he knew exactly what happened here.

"Kristina, what the bloody…John?" he turned to his friend and saw the guilty look on his face. Then with his blood boiling and what felt like his head about to explode, he hauled off and punched Johnny straight on the jaw! The blow sent John right on his butt on the floor.

"Ethan!" Kristina ran down the stairs but stopped and stepped back because Ethan didn't stop with one punch and fell to the floor on top of John and kept punching. "Ethan stop! Stop it right now!"

"You bastard!" He yelled and threw another punch that Johnny caught this time just long enough to give him the opportunity to throw a punch back at his friend, one which threw Ethan backwards.

"Stop it!" Kristina tried to grab a hold of their arms but they were both fighting so hard against each other that her size was no match for their strength and the momentum of arm movements threw her backwards and onto the stairs. "Oww!" she cried as her back hit the bottom step.

"Kristina! Are you okay?" Ethan scurried over to her and lifted her back off the ground. His anger taking a second to his concern for her. A move that Kristina did not appreciate and now her anger boiled over at him.

"Don't pretend you care!" she snapped at him as she pushed his arms away from her.

"Back off Ethan!" Johnny got up off the floor and knelt next to her helping her to her feet.

"Pretend? What the bloody hell are you talking about? What the hell are you doing here with Johnny and with NO clothes on!"

"You have no right to ask me anything right now or ever!" she shot back at him rubbing her lower back.

"No right?" he struggled trying to find something to say but she was right, he had no right to ask her anything, no right to be angry, no right to feel like his heart was just ripped out of his chest. "What the hell is going on with you, first you let that California bloke put his hands on you at the pier last night, and then you end up in Johnny's bed!"

"What? Were you spying on me?"

So, that must have been what Ethan was upset about last night, Johnny thought to himself. Great, although angry at being assaulted by Ethan he now understands it very clearly that even if he couldn't admit it, his friend IS in love with Kristina. To top that off he just walked in on what is very much a morning after sex scene with the person that is supposed to be his best friend. Johnny felt like a jerk.

"It's a public pier Kristina." He said snidely.

"Yeah, just like Jake's is a public place too."

"What the hell does Jake's have to do anything?" he thought for a second. "Wait, were you spying on ME?"

"No, but I was looking for you last night and walked in on what was obviously the trek up the stairs to have sex with some bleached blonde skank!"

"Oh, and Johnny is SO much better right!"

"Hey." Johnny interjected. "Ethan, I think…"

"For your information, but not that I have to explain anything to you I did NOT sleep with that girl. I wish now that I had though."

"You know what Ethan, I think that you should leave." She crossed her arms and stood next to Johnny. "I don't want to see you, I don't want to talk to you, I just want you to leave me alone! It should be easy enough for you, it's what you've been wanting me to do for you for 2 years!"

"Yeah well, you don't have to worry about that love. I'm done." He bent down and picked Johnny's wallet up off the floor and threw it at him. "Here's your wallet mate." He said through gritted teeth and walked out slamming the door closed behind him.

Kristina held her tears in as much as she could but when the door slammed she jumped and the tears came falling out. She turned and ran back up the stairs.

"Kristina, wait!" John ran after her. He caught up to her lying face down on his bed and crying. He walked over and put his hand on her back. "He's just angry Kristina."

"Yeah, well I am too! He has spent the last 2 years telling me he's too old for me and that he has no interest in me. I finally pay attention and give him the space he asked me for and then all of a sudden he's jealous and wants to spy and pass judgment on me."

"I don't think he was passing judgment as much as he was trying to make you hurt as much as he's hurting."

"I don't understand why he's 'hurting'? He told me he was too old for me so I move on and then he lashes out at me? I don't get it."

"Let me ask something. Last night when you said you wished you could take off and be someone or somewhere else and that you were trying to get an image out of your head…was that about Ethan? Was it that girl you saw him with at Jake's?"

She bit down on her bottom lip and then brushed the tears off her cheek with the palm of her hand. Not wanting to answer for a moment, and then finally nodded yes. "It's not what you think though. I didn't sleep with you to forget about Ethan." She grabbed a pillow off the bed and hugged it into her as she sat back. "I was showing a customer of Kate's around Port Charles last night. He is very nice and charming and he was paying me compliments and he kissed me on the pier. He took me home after and I went to bed, but all I kept thinking about was Ethan telling my dad he had no interest in me beyond friendship, but how I've always had this nagging feeling that he was just denying and fighting his feelings. I laid there and was wondering if I should just finally let go completely and move on and meet new guys and open myself up again or if I should talk to Ethan and try to ask him once and for all how he felt. That's when I called you."

"And that's when you found him at Jakes with another girl." He nodded in understanding. "That must have hurt to witness. I'm sorry. The only thing I can tell you though is that seeing you here with me just now must have been twice as bad for him. No matter what he said to Sonny, Ethan definitely has feelings for you."

"What good are his feelings for me if he doesn't want to share them with me or be with me? I'm just really tired of this whole school girl crush feeling." She reached for his hand. "I don't regret what we did last night. I wanted to be with you and I'm glad that you were the person that showed me what that was supposed to be like. I trust you Johnny, I always have."

He placed his other hand on top of hers and held it. "So, where do you want to go from here?"

She looked at him uncertain of what he was asking her. "I'm not sure what you mean?"

"Well, do you want to be with Ethan?" he asked her honestly not sure how he was going to feel about her answer.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say to that." She stood up and walked over to Johnny's window thinking.

"Well, just be honest with yourself." He walked over and stood behind her.

"I've had a crush on Ethan for 2 years Johnny. I remember telling him once that I was going to marry him." She laughed at the memory. "I'm just too tired now to keep going. I've spent as much energy as I want to spend on Ethan Lovett." She turned to look at Johnny. "Spending that time with Andy last night had me searching for a final answer to the question I've been carrying around with me for a long time. Then being with you answered it for me. I loved Ethan, but I'm not some puppy following around after him or anyone anymore. I won't do it, and I won't be hurt at every turn anymore either. I want to be with someone that wants to be with me and isn't afraid to say it. I think I deserve that."

Johnny put his arms around her and held her in a big bear hug. "You do, and a whole lot more Kristina."

Chapter 4

The Haunted Star

Ethan stomped in the casino, threw off his jacket, and reached over to grab a bottle from behind the bar. He poured himself a drink and shot it back in what seemed like less than a second. He poured another one and did it again. He was practically seething with anger and frustration. His mind kept flashing at the image of Kristina in that t-shirt of John's! Then it flashed to her in his bed, his arms, his shower!

"Damnit!" He spun around and threw the bottle against the wall! Then picked up the bar stool and threw it across the room!

"Hey, hey Ethan!" Lucky walked in shouting after he saw the bar stool fly past him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Just leave me alone Lucky. I'm not in the mood and I just want to be left alone."

"Well, sorry man, but I see you throwing a bar stool and there is shattered glass all over the floor, I don't think I'm going to go anywhere."

"Fine, then I will." He shot back coldly and was about to storm off when Lucky grabbed his arm. He grabbed his hand and shoved him back. "Leave me alone!"

"Hey, listen man, look I just want to help ok." He held out both his hands to try and get through to Ethan that he meant no harm. He could tell that it looked like Ethan was seeing red.

"You can't help me alright Lucky! I'm just mad and I just want to be mad ok!"

Seeing that whatever was bothering Ethan wasn't something he was ready to talk through just yet Lucky just walked over and stood behind the bar. "Ok, be mad. Do what you want to this place and then when you're done I'll help you clean up and I'll be here to listen if you want to talk."

"I don't want to talk ok! What I want is to erase last night from existence! I want to have never had it happen at all. I want to, I want to…" he braced his hands against the roulette table. "I want to go back and not be the stupid ass I've been for the last six months. I want to get the image of her, naked with him, out of my head, and I don't know how." He finally slumped down against the roulette table looking utterly defeated and sick to his stomach.

Lucky finally pieced most of what Ethan was upset about together. He walked over and stood next to him. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"Honestly Lucky, I don't know. All I know is that I showed up at Johnny's this morning and when I got there Kristina came down the stairs fresh out of his shower, in his t-shirt, looking for her 'jeans'. When I saw her standing there I felt like someone punched me right in the gut."

Lucky nodded his head as if he was reading a case file. "Sorry man. Do you think there is anyway it wasn't what you thought it was?"

Ethan ran his hand over his face and shook his head 'no'. "No, the look in Kristina's eyes was different. She was surprised I was there but she was also different, she looked at me differently. I can't explain it." He shook his head.

"Ok, well, don't deck me for this man, but, haven't you been pushing her away for like what, a year?"

"She's just a kid Lucky. What was I supposed to do?"

"Well, why don't you start by being honest with yourself. Sometime before now you stopped seeing her as just a kid because obviously you have real feelings for her. Here's my question though, did you ever tell her how you feel about her or could you not even admit it to yourself until you saw her with someone else?"

He stood in silence for a moment, not really knowing how to answer. He walked over and sat down at the bar. "I never told her. Hell, I never told me! I'd been asking her for months to give up on me and finally a few months ago she did, then when she wasn't there I realized how much I missed having her around. I missed her smile and the way she could turn anything serious into something funny. I missed the way she used to look at me like I could fix anything in the world for her. She trusted me with everything in her life from the smallest to the biggest event. I've never had anyone trust me like that before. I missed her."

"When did you realize this? You shouldn't just realize you care for her that way just because you saw her with someone else. That's not fair to either of you. You need to figure out what this that you're feeling for her is."

"Well, it looks like I realized 'this' or whatever it is a day too late." He poured himself another drink and shot it back. "Whether it's fair or not I can't help that I couldn't put 2 and 2 together until now, and I can't change what happened between her and Johnny last night as much as I'd bloody like to."

"It's only too late if you don't get your sorry ass out of that chair and go find the girl I told you that you loved months ago." Johnny said as he came down the stairs into the casino.

The sound of his voice snapped Ethan back into the rage he was in minutes before. He spun around and jumped to his feet and flew at Johnny tackling him to the floor. They rolled around throwing punches until Lucky pulled Ethan off and threw him back towards the bar.

"Knock it off Ethan!" Lucky yelled holding an arm out to keep his brother back.

"Look I'm done fighting with you Ethel! That's not why I came here." Johnny picked himself up off the floor shouting at Ethan.

"I don't ever want to see your sorry, pathetic excuse for a human beings face again Zaccara! I can't believe I ever thought you were a friend. What did you do huh? What, did she show up on your door step upset and you scooped her up and took her to bed to 'comfort' her? You rotten son of a bitch! Do you know everything she's been through? How could you take advantage of her like that?"

The anger was building in Johnny now because being the better person isn't usually his role. "It wasn't like that ok, and I really don't have to justify what it was like to you! I just came here to tell you that if you let her go because of what happened between she and I then you're a damn fool and I'd be happy to step in to the spot in her heart that still belongs to you. She loves you. Always has, it's just that she was mature enough to admit it to you a long time ago, while you couldn't do it until you thought you had a chance of losing her. Don't even bother analyzing what you feel pal because the look in your eyes this morning wasn't that of a friend. You love her."

Shaking his head and throwing his arms up in the air "You know what mate I can't even hear the words coming out of your mouth right now because all I can see is you bedding Kristina while she was upset and vulnerable! And all I want to do is choke the bloody life out of you!" he growled at him looking like he was ready to tackle him again.

"You know what that's fine! I tried to be the bigger person here. You love her, I get that now, and I'm sorry, because I guess I should have been a better friend and realized you were lying to her and yourself for months about it, but I took you at your word. Thing is though, I'm not going to stand back now and let you make Kristina feel bad about something that we had every right to do. She isn't your girlfriend man! You kept pushing her away and telling her to back off you. She deserves to be with someone that shows her every day that they want to be with her too. I came here to give you the chance to be that person, because I think it's what you both want, but you know what if it's not, then forget it, she deserves better anyway. Truth be told, she deserves better than either of us."

With that Johnny left and Ethan threw another bottle against the wall and screamed in rage!

"I've got to get out of here." He grabbed his coat and started to walk out of the casino.

"Whoa Ethan, don't. Don't leave here this upset. It's not good for you and probably not for anyone that runs into you either."

"Lucky, I'm not in the mood for a big brother speech ok. Just leave me alone. I need to clear my head." And with that he walked out.

The night of the Crimson Anniversary party.

The Metro Court was fabulously decorated in Crimson red, black, and silver. Kate delivered an amazing speech about the highlights of the last few years, the exciting plans for the next few and thanked everyone that helped us achieve where we are now. She presented Lady Jane Jacks with a plaque in Jax's name that will always hang in the halls of Crimson.

Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves. There was music, dancing, food, and fashion. Maxie did an amazing job with the swag bags and no one could stop talking about them. Kate locked in the contract with James for the advertising in Crimson for the next few years. Andy had continued to be his very charming self to Kristina over the last week. He brought her coffee and a perfect pink rose the morning after their walk on the pier. It was a very sweet, wonderful gesture. Unfortunately that was also the morning that she, Johnny, and Ethan had their blowup so she could not concentrate on reciprocating any attention or affection towards Andy. She took him around Port Charles a few times this week but nothing more really happened. She politely explained that she was going through some things right now and just couldn't return his feelings. He understood and she could not help but wonder what she was giving up by being so confused right now.

She avoided Johnny and ignored his 2 calls that week to check on her. She didn't want him to think or worry that she needed looking after or that she was looking to replace Ethan with him and start following him around looking for excuses to run into him. Been there, done that, not again. Then there was Ethan. She really did not want to run into him and was successful in that for the last week. By his words or the look on his face that 'morning after' she didn't think he'd be very excited to see her either. She kept telling herself she did nothing wrong. Ethan pushed her away for over a year, had whatever relationship he wanted with whoever he wanted, and then gets up in arms when she finally moves on to someone else. Stupid jerk! But what ate at her more than anything was why? Why was he so bothered? Why had he reacted the way he did? Was he just being overprotective like a big brother type? He told her and her dad both he had NO feelings for her beyond friendship. Johnny said that wasn't how he was acting but how could she trust in any feeling she had anymore? After all she felt like talking to Ethan about their feelings for each other and then saw him swallowing the tongue of some bleached blonde at Jakes. Why was this all SO confusing? Why couldn't it just be simple?

She zoned out in thought when Dante came over to her and patted her shoulder. "Hey, Kristina. Kristina?" waving a hand in front of her face that finally registered in her vision. "Dante. Hey, I'm sorry, I guess I zoned out for a second."

"Yeah, I can see that. Are you ok?" he asked reading the sad expression on his sister's face.

"Don't worry big brother, I'm fine. Just living the drama that is my life." She said sarcastically.

"Can I help with anything? After all, that is what big brothers are for and I haven't had to flex my brother muscles for you in a while and could use the exercise." He said jokingly trying to gain a smile from his sister. It worked because she did smile back at him and gave him a big hug. "I'm ok. Don't worry about me. What is that old saying…whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

And with that thought, in walked Johnny Zaccara through the elevator doors. He had on a black tuxedo with a charcoal dress shirt and no tie. He looked sharp and very different from the jeans and leather jacket he normally wore. Seeing him made her stomach do a summersault very unexpectedly but in that nano second she locked eyes with him she decided to plant her feet firmly on the ground and face this head on. It was Johnny after all. This was her friend.

He wasn't sure if this was the best idea he's ever had but he figured what the hell. She'd been avoiding him and he knew she couldn't avoid him here. When the elevator doors opened he scanned the room for her but she stuck out like a beacon to him. She had her hair pulled half up and half down, and wore a dark red dress that corseted her already tiny waist into a sweetheart neckline and the bottom flowed down to her feet in what looked like material that floated on air. Maybe it was her that floated on air, hell he couldn't stop thinking about her all week. He gave Ethan the opportunity to make things right with Kristina but from his sources tell him Ethan left town and he hasn't heard from him. He also has spotted Kristina a couple times from a distance with that blonde guy so he knew she wasn't with Ethan. Part of him felt like a jerk because here he is having feelings for the girl his supposed best friend loves. But, on the other hand he gave him the chance to make things right and be with Kristina and instead he takes off and leaves her. He never planned this, he never planned on feeling what he's feeling for her, hell, he doesn't even know exactly what he's feeling. He just knows he can't stop thinking about her and the smell of her hair on his pillow is now faded and gone and he misses it.

Walking over to Kristina, Johnny clears his throat and makes his presence known to Dante who had been turned and hadn't seen him walk up. "Hi Kristina, hey Dante. Looks like you've got a pretty good party going on here. It looks great." That was weak. He thought to himself.

"Thanks. Maxie did most of it I just helped with the odds and ends." She was nervous. It was different not being sure how to act around Johnny now. She had a memory flash of his bare chest up against hers and bit her lower lip slightly to try and push it out of her head.

"You never give yourself enough credit. But uh, hey Dante, do you mind if I talk to Kristina for a second?"

Dante furrowed his brow slightly wondering if Johnny had anything to do with Kristina's sad/distant look. "I guess that is really up to Kristina." He answered flatly not moving from his spot in between his sister and Johnny.

"Dante." Kristina scolded with her tone. "We can go out on the patio and give my brother some time to work on his manners."

"Thanks." Johnny extended his hand for Kristina to take. She reached for it and let Johnny lead her out to the patio.

He opened the double doors for them and then closed them behind them. The night had a crisp breeze and he watched Kristina walk to the railing, as the wind added to the look of her floating on a red cloud. He came here tonight knowing he had to talk to her but at this moment he has absolutely no idea what he wants to say.

She turned back around to face him. She couldn't read the look on his face and it made her nervous. She stared at him waiting for him to speak searching for something in his eyes, but she wasn't sure what. The silence continued and she finally had to ask. "Johnny, what was it you wanted to talk about?" she wrapped her arms around herself as she felt the cold air around her.

"Oh, Kristina I'm sorry I didn't realize it was so cold out here." He took his coat off and put it over her shoulders. My god she was SO small. He had the overwhelming urge to wrap her up in his arms and protect her from the world. He grinned down at her and rubbed his hands up and down her arms to warm her up.

"Thanks." She returned his smile. "What are you smiling about?"

"I'm just amazed you can keep yourself upright under the weight of my coat. My god, what are you like 80lbs?" he teased her.

Surprised she let out a loud laugh and playfully punches his chest. "Hey! I may be small but pound for pound I'm just as tough as you are." She rolled her eyes at him. "And I'm 97lbs thank you very much."

"Wow, you are probably the only woman I've ever known that would tell me her weight." He laughed.

"Yeah, well, what is yours?" she poked his stomach with her index finger.

"Oh, whoa, whoa, are you calling me fat?" he asked wide eyed knowing she was teasing him.

"No, I've seen under your shirt and I would never call you fat." She had not meant to mention their night together but it just slipped out.

Surprised she mentioned their night together but actually relieved, he locked eyes with her and as he put his hands back on her arms he pulled her slowly into a kiss.

Kristina felt herself melt into Johnny's chest as she and Johnny's kiss grew from soft, gentle, and sweet, to deep and longing. Their lips finally parted and they stood there just looking at each other.

"I have wanted to do that all week." He admits to her.

"I haven't known what I've wanted all week. I've been very confused." She admitted not knowing what to say other than to be honest.

A little deflated but not surprised. Johnny pulls her into a hug. "I don't want to add to your confusion Kristina. I just want you to know that I've been thinking about you all week. I don't regret what we did and I hope you don't either. I just, I didn't expect to feel what I'm feeling, hell, I don't even know exactly what it is honestly. I just know that I've really missed you this week, and if maybe it wouldn't confuse you even more, I'd like to take you to maybe dinner sometime and try to figure it out?" he felt like a teenager again. He hadn't asked someone on a date in a long time.

A million thoughts were swirling around in Kristina's head. She took a deep breath and looked straight at Johnny. "I don't know when or how it happened but I am pretty sure that I can't think of anything I'd rather do than have dinner with you Johnny. Thank you for the invitation."

He smiled and reached down to bring her hand up to his lips and kiss it. "Come on, let's get you back inside." He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her back into the party.

The party ended an hour or so later and Johnny escorted Kristina home. He walked her to the front door.

"Well, I'm glad you came tonight Johnny. I'm really sorry for not calling you back this week. I just didn't want you to feel obligated to call me and I was trying to get my head on straight."

He laughed. "I like your head when it's all over the place. It's fun to see how your mind works sometimes. Reminds me of me in my younger rebellious days actually."

"Really. Hmm, well I'll have to hear some of those stories some time."

"Oh, and just for the record" he stepped closer to her "I didn't call you out of any thought of obligation. I called because I care, and I missed you." He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

She touched the side of his face with her fingertips. "Well, as long as we're clear on that then I'm good." Giving him a devilish grin he had to laugh.

"Oh, okay Ms. Davis well, let me get your door for you." He reached for her keys in her hand. She gave them to him and he opened the door for her to enter.

"Hey, what are those boxes for?" he asked seeing the boxes right at the entrance.

"Oh, those are mine. I'm moving into an apartment close to campus tomorrow. I think it's time I learn to live on my own and focus on taking care of myself. Not that I don't appreciate my mom and dad helping me with rent and all but I'm paying utilities and insurance and food on my own with my Crimson checks."

"That shouldn't be too much given your size." He teased her, which warranted a roll of her eyes as a response. "I have to say, I am surprised though that Sonny would agree to that. Security wise I can't see him going for that."

"Well, it's a good neighborhood and it's a security building so that helps. He wanted to give me a full time guard but I negotiated my way out of that one."

"How did you do that?" he asked curiously.

Raising an eyebrow and flashing a broad smile. "This is how." She snapped her fingers twice and gave a whistle. From the shadows a beautiful caramel colored boxer showed his face and gave a low growl. "Grumpy!" she scolded and the dog sat down.

"Grumpy?" Johnny asked.

"He has this low growl thing going on which I haven't been able to break him of so I thought it was fitting. I guess there are worse things than to have people think I have a mean dog. He's protective but really very sweet. I've had him just a week but he sleeps at the foot of my bed and is SO low maintenance, and very sweet with Molly."

"Would he let me pet him?" Johnny wanted to know before he tried.

"I don't know. I guess we'll have to find out." She gave him a scrunching of her shoulders that did not instill confidence.

"Hmm, well maybe I'll put that off until next time." He laughed. "But, hey, do you need some help moving?"

"Sure. Dad already had the place furnished but Mom, borrowed Sam's SUV while she's out of town, and she, Molly, and I were going to start loading up in the morning around 9:30. Is that too early?"

"No, that sounds good. I'll swing by then."

"Great. Well, I'll see you tomorrow." She moved in and gave him a hug. The smell of his cologne brought back the memory of waking up with him, and his strong arms made her feel so safe. They pulled apart and both leaned in for a long soft kiss.

With that she went inside and he got in his car to leave. She watched him drive off and turned back towards her new dog. "Come on Grumpy, let's go to bed."

Chapter 5

Alexis was less than thrilled to learn that morning that Johnny Zaccara was helping her daughter move in to her first apartment however decided to bite her tongue. Kristina was growing up and if she herself wanted to be a part of her life she had to accept that and try to forge a different relationship with Kristina now. One that existed on equal ground. She knew the day was coming but dreaded it with every passing day.

The time came for Molly and Alexis to leave Kristina in her own place. Johnny had helped them bring in all the boxes and put them in the rooms she wanted them in but then took his leave knowing that his presence was making Alexis nervous and he didn't want to cause Kristina any grief.

Molly moved in and gave Kristina a huge hug. "I'm going to miss you SO much!" she cried. Returning her hug Kristina felt a tug at her heart. "I'm going to miss you too Molly. Just remember though, you are always welcome here. Just because I've moved out of the house doesn't mean I've moved out of your life. I'm always here for you." Alexis felt her eyes well up with tears. My god, how did she get so grown up? How did she get so lucky to have these 2 girls be so close and so loving to each other. Alexis moved in and encircled them both with her arms. "We will always be a family girls. No matter how old we get, or how many years go by, or miles separate us, we are all just a phone call away from each other."

"Well, Molly, I think it's time for us to let Kristina get settled in to her first night in her apartment by herself." With sadness in her eyes she smiled and hugged Kristina.

"Don't forget about Grumpy mom. Kristina won't be alone." Molly interjected.

"Oh trust me Molly, I take a lot of comfort in Grumpy being here."

"Thanks Mom. For everything. I love you."

"I love you too sweety." She brushed a stray piece of hair behind her daughters ear and gave her one more hug.

"Ok, we're off, have a good night sweety. Let me know if you need anything ok?"

"Ok Mom. Bye. Bye Molly."

"Bye Kristina. Call me tomorrow. Bye Grumpy!" she ran over and hugged the dog laying on end of the couch. He happily licked her cheek.

"Ok. See you later."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

The door closed and as she looked around her apartment she felt like one just opened.

Of course, that was before night came and she was sitting watching tv with a bowl of popcorn and a diet soda. She was trying to concentrate on the show but kept looking around and hearing every tiny creak. She walked Grumpy through the one bedroom apartment which was actually quite large letting him check out every corner. It had a living room and a kitchen with a breakfast nook. A guest bathroom, and her favorite was the fairly large master bedroom with a sitting area and its own master bathroom too. It's a little bigger than what she had imagined her first place to be but seeing as her dad had high standards for neighborhood and security it had to be a little more upscale. It's no penthouse by any means but it was really nice and she liked it. It's just that at the moment it felt very scary, and she hated herself for being such a baby. She was fighting the urge to call Michael and see if he wanted to come and stay with her tonight. She knew he probably would but then Abby would know she was acting like a scared child, and there was no way she wanted that to get out. A few months ago she would have called Ethan because he was her go to for everything, and he felt like home to her. Plus, of course at that time she would have killed to be alone with him. That obviously isn't going to happen though. Johnny. She thought. She wanted to, but given the last time they were alone was at his penthouse and they wound up in bed together, she didn't want it to seem like that was what she wanted and give him the wrong idea. After she gave in to Keifer that first time that was all he ever wanted from her. She doesn't want to compare Johnny to Keifer because being with Johnny was already worlds different from Keifer but it was just all she knew as a reference. She kept flipping her phone around in her hands trying to decide what to do when all of a sudden her text message went off. She opened it, it was from Johnny.

'How R U enjoying the 1st nite in your place?' he texted as if he was reading her mind.

'Good. Grumpy & I R just watching TV. Its weird tho.' She texted back.

'The quiet.'

'Yeah, howd u guess?'

'It was weird for me 2 at 1st.'

She felt like she wanted to just admit it to him but she still didn't want to seem like a baby.

'Yeah, it's a litl scary.' She txtd but hovered over the send button for a minute before replying.

'Do u want some company?' was his reply, and she breathed a sigh of relief when it was.

'Sure. Thatd b gr8!'

'Do u want me to bring anything?'

Hmmm….she thought for a second.

'Movie u pick. I'll order a pizza.'

'I'll pick 1 up, the pizza 2 so don't worry.'

'K. hurry.'

'Sure'

She straightened up a bit more trying to keep busy waiting for Johnny to get there. She had left his name, along with her mom, Sam, and Molly's name with the security guard in the lobby earlier today. So right now those are the only people being allowed in without her say so.

She jumped at the knock at the door. Grumpy let out 2 barks and a growl and went to the door.

"Grumpy. Shhhh." She pulled the dog back and pointed toward the couch for him to go sit. "Who is it?" she asked before opening.

"Pizza delivery!" Johnny yelled back sarcastically.

Opening the door for him she had not been so relieved in a very long time but tried to be as normal as possible.

"Hmmm, you lost your tip 5 minutes ago Sir." She tapped a foot while standing in the doorway.

"Sorry, trying to pick a video proved harder than I thought."

"Come on in." she stepped away from the doorway and let him in. He took about 3 steps and heard the low growl he heard the night before but this time saw a few teeth too.

"Grumpy…stop." Kristina scolded in a firm tone. She stepped in between the man and beast and took Johnny's hand. "See" she held the hand out for the dog to see "This is Johnny. He's ok. Okay?"

The dog retracted his teeth but kept an eye on John.

"I came prepared for this." He put the pizza and video down and reached in his pocket pulling out a dog bone. He knelt down on the floor and held it out for the dog.

"Hey boy. It's ok, I'm not going to ever hurt your mom ok? But I brought this for you since I know you're the man of the house."

Kristina had to step back and appreciate this scene because this was Johnny Zaccara on the ground trying to make friends with her dog. Grumpy came over and smelled his hand, after a second licked it, then happily accepted the bone and went back over to his place on the couch.

"No Grumpy, if you are eating you need to get off the couch ok. Go lay on your blanket." She pointed towards the blanket in the corner on the floor. The dog happily obliged and began the task of devouring his treat.

Johnny stood up and looked at Kristina. "You're getting pretty comfortable in your role as Dog Whisperer aren't you?" he teased as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"He's a really good dog. I think you've made friends now so you shouldn't have any problem with him."

"Well, that's good. I really didn't feel like being his dinner."

She stepped behind Johnny and picked up the dvd. "So, what did you get?"

"Well, this is what took me a while. I couldn't decide between a classic or a chic flick. I figured a scary movie was out given the what type of night it was."

"What do you mean?" she asked slightly confused.

"Well, I know you were trying not to show it but I could tell you were feeling a little scared being your first night alone in your apartment." He admitted.

Kristina felt slightly embarrassed but relieved at the same time. She kind of looked towards the floor. "I was really hoping I hid that better. I didn't want you to think I was being a baby."

He tilted her chin up to look him in the eyes. "Hey, you don't have to hide anything from me. I hope you know that. I also hope you know I don't think of you as a baby."

She felt her cheeks start to warm under his gaze. "I do now. Thank you."

"My pleasure. Truth be told I was hoping you'd want some company tonight anyway."

The look on Kristina's face changed to slight shock which did not go unnoticed by Johnny.

"No, no, no, Kristina I, I didn't mean the way that sounded. Look, I like you. I loved being with you the way we were together, but I want to spend time and really be WITH you, not just physically. I want to really see what is going on between us."

"What do you think is going on between us?" she asked sheepishly.

He moved over and took her hands in his and sat them down on the couch. "I honestly don't know. I just know I think about you all the time now, and I find myself hoping you are having a good day. I wonder sometimes if at that moment you are laughing, studying, or working. I guess I think about you a lot and I want to see what that means."

She smiled at him and took comfort in his words. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel bad. Truthfully, and please do NOT take offense, but I wondered if now that we've slept together your interest in me was just sexual. I mean, after Keifer and I slept together it was like he didn't want to go anywhere or do anything but that." She felt Johnny shift and she placed a hand on his knee. "You are NOT Keifer Johnny and you have been SO wonderful to me, I'm so sorry, I don't mean to make it sound like I'm comparing you." She looked down at her feet shaking her head.

"Kristina, it's ok. I understand what you're saying. It just kills me what that ass put you through and that because of him you don't know what an amazing woman you are. You don't know that you should make guys come to you. That you should demand to be treated with respect and like a queen. That you shouldn't do anything or even have to worry about anyone making you do anything you do not want to do."

Johnny held both her hands in his. "I really want you to hear me when I say this ok?"

"Ok" looking right into his eyes.

"I would never, ever, make you do anything that you do not want to do. I also never want you to feel like when I'm with you there is any place else I want to be. If I'm here with you, then I want to be here with you, and so we are very clear, tonight I want to be here with you doing nothing but spending time with you and doing whatever you want to do tonight. Which all I really was expecting was pizza and what is very much a chic flick that I picked out for you."

Johnny's words made Kristina feel like she's never felt before. Wanted. Really wanted. She leaned over and softly kissed his lips. "Thank you."

"Thank YOU."

"Well, Mr. Zaccara. How about you kick off your shoes, take off your jacket, and make yourself at home. I'll get us a blanket and we can enjoy some pizza, and I would love it if you held me during the movie."

"Now, that would definitely be my pleasure."

After the movie.

"Ohh, that was so sweet. Did you like it?"

"Let's just say I liked that you liked it. That's all I need."

"Ok, I owe you one. Next time it's completely a 'you' movie."

"As long as there is a next time, I'm happy." He kissed her forehead as she looked up at him from their snuggle position on the couch. "Well, I better let you get some sleep." He moved to stand up but Kristina put her hand on his leg. "Johnny, would you, would you mind staying with me? I mean, not, in that…"

"I know Kristina, it's ok. Sure, I can stay out here on the couch if you'd like."

"Johnny, I think we're past the couch stage. You're welcome to sleep in the bed too."

"Are you sure?"

"I trust you." The way she looked at him nearly melted his heart. She did. She trusted him. This sweet thing trusted and felt safe with him.

"Ok." He reached out and helped her up. "After you."

She led him into bedroom and turned down the bed.

"I'll go get changed so you can get comfortable."

She disappeared into the bathroom and he undressed down to his boxers and got under the covers. The sheets still smelled new and didn't have her intoxicating scent on them yet. He lay his head down on the pillow and Grumpy decided to jump up on the foot of the bed. He had to let out a small chuckle and admit to himself that even he felt better that Kristina had this dog. Grumpy stared at him for a second as if to say 'I'm watching you' before he curled up for the night. Just then the bathroom door open and Kristina came out in a light blue tank top and shorts pajama set. She looked like an angel.

Crawling in bed with Johnny she didn't know how she could feel so nervous and so at peace at the same time. She snuggled up next to him and put her head on his arm. He kissed her forehead and brushed a stray piece of hair off her face. "Goodnight Kristina."

"Goodnight Johnny. Thank you for staying with me."

"Anytime." She locked eyes with him and felt her heart skip a beat when he gave her a small but incredibly sincere smile. How did it happen that she ended up with Johnny Zaccara in her bed? How did it happen that this strong, handsome, powerful man wanted to spend time with her? How did it happen that what she so desperately wanted from Ethan ended up coming to her in the form of Johnny?

She stretched up and kissed John which he happily returned. They began inching closer to each other instinctively. Johnny slowly withdrew his lips even though his body was protesting this move. "Kristina, I want to take this slowly. What happened before was in the heat of the moment and if it happens again I want to be sure that we're doing it because we want to be with each other and not because we want to forget about other things."

"You mean Ethan."

Johnny shifted a bit knowing this was something they had to talk about but feeling awkward lying in bed with Kristina and talking about Ethan. "Well, I know you wanted to be with me and weren't thinking about Ethan, but I also know that if you hadn't seen Ethan with that other woman you probably wouldn't have been in the frame of mind to be with me." She stared at him as if searching for an answer in his face. "You know I went to see Ethan a few hours later that day, and he said something to me along the lines of that I took advantage of you, and I've had that in the back of my mind since that day, and the thought that I did that makes me sick to my stomach. I would never, ever want to take advantage of you or hurt you in any way. I pray with everything I am that you know that."

Kristina took Johnny's hand in hers and held it to her chest. "Johnny, Ethan had no right to say that to you. You did NOT take advantage of me. I've always known that you would never do that to me. I know that when we were together I had been upset about Ethan but when I kissed you I was kissing YOU. The emotions that came over me so strongly were emotions that I was having while I was with you. I know I can't change the fact that I was upset that night over Ethan, but I hope you know that I don't regret anything we did."

"Do you miss Ethan?" he had to ask. He guessed it was better to do it sooner rather than later.

Kristina took a deep breath as if gathering her words. "I think I miss my friend mostly." She paused for a second "I've thought about it a lot and lately and more than anything I feel embarrassed when I think about the way I chased after him. It was a school girl crush, and now I've realized that I want to be with someone that wants to be with me. You can't force someone into feeling something. They either do or they don't, and if they don't then you are better off without them anyway. Chasing around after someone that doesn't want you only feels empty. But now I'm thinking maybe I had that experience to enable me to see what it really should be like, or what it is supposed to feel like when someone shows you they care about you, like…like what you've done for me." She kissed his cheek. "I can't say exactly what it is I'm feeling, but I can say that every moment I've spent with you I've enjoyed completely."

"Me too." He kissed her lips again. Very softly, as if trying to savor the memory of that moment. "How about we get some sleep tonight and then tomorrow night we go out on a proper date?"

"I would love to." She grinned from ear to ear and buried her head into the crook of his arm, and with that last thought, they both fell asleep.

Chapter 6

Johnny and Kristina spent the evening in the city. He surprised her with a limousine ride into Manhattan, a fabulous dinner at a restaurant that had private roof top seating for a choice few, then private balcony seats at the ballet. Kristina knew that she had not had a better night in her whole entire life.

Johnny escorted Kristina back to her apartment and opened the door for her. He watched her walk in while appreciating the cream colored strapless dress she wore that softly hugged her curves. She happily pet Grumpy and gave him a dog treat from the cookie jar she had stocked on the counter for him. He took it and ran to his blanket on the floor to crunch it in peace. Johnny handed her the keys back. "Did you have fun?"

"Oh my god Johnny, do you have to ask?" she asked incredulously. "That was the most amazing night I've ever had. Why did you go to all that trouble?"

"It was no trouble. I wanted to show you how you deserve to be treated."

"I don't even know what to say. I can't believe how amazing you are." She reached out to hold his hand and as he accepted it she pulled herself closer and kissed him. He ached to be with her again but didn't want to rush.

"Well, I, uh, guess I better let you get some sleep." He kissed the back of her hand.

"Are you sure you don't…" but before she could finish Johnny placed his finger tip over her lips.

"Don't finish that question. I won't be able to resist you and I'm trying to be a gentleman here."

"You ARE a gentleman Johnny, you don't even have to try." She kissed him again.

"Well, you deserve the world, and I take pleasure in giving you everything that I can that brings a smile to your face."

"Thank you Johnny."

"You're welcome. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Ok, goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Kristina closed the door behind him and leaned up against it thinking about the night that she just experienced. She didn't think she'd stop smiling for a month!

Downstairs Johnny got into the back of the limo and headed home. From the shadows a figure watches and then makes a call.

"It's me. Yeah, it's got to be a girlfriend. Looks like he is working hard to impress her just by the looks of it." He paused listening for instruction. "Yeah, just one guard at the front desk."

"Ok. It shouldn't take long. I'll call you when I'm headed your way."

Kristina had just slipped out of her dress when the knock on her door made her jump. Grumpy let out a low growl from his spot on the bed.

"Shhh Grumpy it's got to be Johnny." She smiled at the thought of him coming back and quickly grabbed her short pink robe off the bed and tied it closed then made her way to the door. She pulled it open and found herself immediately falling backwards as the force of a man's body came crashing on her grabbing for her mouth to cover it with a cloth. She let out a small scream before it was muffled, however in a split second she heard another scream only this one belonged to the man and as she fell to the floor she saw Grumpy biting ferociously at the man's arm.

She scrambled to her feet and screamed for help! The elevator doors opened and Johnny heard Kristina scream. He came running into her apartment just in time to see Grumpy attacking a man on the floor with Kristina screaming in the corner. The man matched her scream with his own and was desperately grabbing at his back trying to grab his gun. Johnny quickly kicked the man as hard as he could in the head knocking him out cold. He took the gun out from the man's waistband and put it in his. Grumpy released his grip but stood guard over the man growling. Johnny ran to Kristina and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Kristina, Kristina! Look at me! Are you ok? Are you hurt?"

Hysterical tears streaming down her face she tried to catch her breath to answer him. "Ye…Yeah.. I'm ok.. I think I..I thought it was you. I..I opened the door. I..I thought it was you." She cried.

He wrapped his arms around her. Now it made sense why he didn't see the security guard downstairs. He must be dead.

"Ok, we're going to call the police ok."

"What?"

"The police. That creep is a goon from a rival family. They must have been following me. I'm not going to put you in the middle of this though. The more people looking after you the better." He guided her to the couch and sat her down. He pulled out his phone and called the police. Every fiber in him wanted to go in guns blazing and shoot Danny Santo a thousand times but he didn't want to put Kristina in a position to cover anything up for him.

He finished calling the police, and sat down to hold Kristina. His eyes staring daggers at the man on the floor. He let her cry and waited for her to regain her composure. By the time she did Lucky arrived with 2 officers.

"Kristina, are you ok?" he asked concerned.

"Yeah, Gr..Grumpy attacked him. He tried to…to drug me I think. Then Johnny saved us both."

"Grumpy?" he asked confused.

"The dog." Johnny answered.

Lucky turned around to see the dog sitting by the couch. His former position guarding the man relinquished as if he knew his job was done.

Lucky smiled for a quick second remembering his old dog Foster, then turned back to Kristina. "It looks like that dog bought you some valuable time." Then turned to Johnny. "Ok, should I even bother asking or are you going to stonewall me?"

"Look, I know that guy works for the Santo family, beyond that I don't know why he's here except for maybe he was following me."

"You?" he asked confused.

"I had just dropped Kristina off and left but then saw she left her purse in the car so I was bringing it back to her. There is usually a doorman downstairs but I didn't see him. I didn't think too much of it but then when I got off the elevator I heard her scream and the dog going nuts. The dog had him down on the ground and was ripping into him when he went to grab for his gun." He pulled it out from behind his back and gave it to Lucky. "I kicked him to stop him and knocked him out then we called you."

"So, sounds like to me they were trying to get to you through Kristina."

"It could have had to do with my dad too, you never know." Kristina chimed in as she had now regained her composure and didn't want Johnny to feel like this was his fault.

It didn't work.

"Possibly." Lucky offered but didn't think it sounded that way. "Ok, Kristina I don't think you should stay here tonight. Do you want me to call Alexis for you?"

"No, I don't want to worry her and I would appreciate you not mentioning this to her or my dad." She looked at him directly holding herself as straight up as she could as if to stand firm that she was in charge of her life not her parents.

"I won't, but Kristina I really think that you shouldn't keep something like this from them."

"I appreciate your concern but that's my choice Lucky." In that moment Lucky no longer saw the girl that was lying in the hospital bed beaten by her boyfriend. She was full grown and making her own decisions. He understands a little more how Ethan's feelings must have snuck up on him because from one moment to the next she grew up.

"OK, well, we are going to be here a while so…"

"She can stay with me. I'll make sure she's safe." Johnny put arm around her shoulders. A move that didn't go unnoticed by Lucky. It appeared to him that there was more going on here than the one night that Ethan walked in on.

"Ok, well, I'll be in touch." With that, he turned back to the officers.

"Come on, let's gather up some things for you ok?" she gently held her by the shoulders to face him. Her strong façade now letting go as she slumped and swallowed hard to keep it together in front of him. "What about Grumpy?" she looked up at him.

"There's no way we're ever leaving that dog behind. I owe him." He kissed her forehead and brought her into a hug.

They gathered up the dog, threw some clothes quickly in a duffel bag and left.

From the car John had called in extra security for his penthouse and the lakehouse. He didn't want to take any chances. He wanted to charge over and eliminate this Santo threat immediately but knew it was more important to take care of Kristina right now. How was he so stupid as to think he could have a normal life? How could he have been so careless as to not have had a guard on her after she saved him outside of Jake's.

He brought her home to the penthouse and tucked her in upstairs in his bed. Grumpy firmly settled in next to her. It took quite a few hours but she finally fell asleep. He wiggled himself out from under Kristina and made his way downstairs to make a phone call.

"Hey, it's me. I need to meet with you. Trust me, you are going to want to hear what I have to say. Ok, I'll be there in the morning."

He had to handle this differently then he normally would. He didn't want to draw attention from the police but he didn't want Kristina to think blood was on her hands either. This seemed like the best way.

The next morning.

Although Kristina protested slightly she agreed to have a guard that day. Johnny promised it wouldn't be forever just asked for some time to make sure she was safe. She begged him not to do anything that would get himself into any danger or trouble. He promised, although as Kristina left for class that morning the promise didn't keep her from worrying.

Chapter 7

Max announced Johnny as he allowed him entrance into Sonny's office at his restaurant.

"Listen Sonny, I'm going to get straight to the point here. I would like to ask for your help in presenting a united front to the Santo family and get them the hell out of Port Charles."

Sipping coffee from behind his desk Sonny looked like he was straight out of some Godfather movie with his perfectly pressed Italian suit, and dark eyes that lately had stared at him with pure rage, but today looked eerily calm.

Setting his coffee cup down.

"Now, I'm curious John, why is it that you would think I would do something like that? You have been nothing but a thorn in my side from day one." Rubbing his finger underneath his chin, he continued. "I can't stand the sight of you and would not care one bit if they took care of you so I don't get MY hands dirty."

"Because they have seen me with Kristina twice now and decided last night to go after her to get to me."

Sonny stood up from his desk and now the eyes that Johnny usually has staring back at him are ever present.

"Where's Kristina?"

"She went to class. I have a guard on her, she's ok. They broke into her apartment last night but the dog saved her until I got there and then after I took care of him I called the cops."

Moving around to stand directly in front of Johnny. "Why the hell are you hanging around my daughter? I have warned you time and time again to stay away from her. Are you happy now? She's in danger because of you!"

"No, I'm not happy Sonny! I would never want any harm to come to Kristina! That's why I'm coming to you. My guess is they don't know who she is and by that I mean that she's YOUR daughter. They just saw me with someone that they thought they could use against me as leverage. You want to hate me, that's fine. You're not exactly on my Xmas list either but right now Kristina is what's important. I could take care of this myself and make sure no one ever finds a single one of those rotten bastards but I don't want that on Kristina, so I have another idea. Now, can we put aside our difference for a few hours and work together? For your daughter."

Warehouse.

Danny Santo was sitting behind his desk. "I can't believe that dumb ass got caught. Take care of him. I don't want the cops breathing down my neck any more than they already did last night." With that he slammed down the phone.

Just then the double doors flew open with the force of 2 guards being thrown against it and hitting the floor.

In walked Sonny Corinthos and Johnny Zaccara along with members from both their organizations.

"Got a minute?" Johnny smirked at him even though he was resisting the urge to just shoot him then and there.

"Yeah, you know, I don't think we've been properly introduced Danny is it?" Sonny walked up to him with coldness in his eyes and a tone that Johnny has heard before. It was his 'I could gut you alive' tone.

Danny was on his feet trying to use his desk as some sort of shield to hide what you could plainly see in his face was fear.

Max and Milo went around and grabbed him by either side and threw him in front of his own desk as Sonny made himself comfortable setting half of his body against the desk absently picking at the papers on it.

"I think you've met Mr. Zaccara here, but you know you're operation really hasn't warranted me getting to know you myself. It really hasn't mattered enough to me. But you see, last night you made yourself known to me by attacking my daughter, and you know, I just felt that warranted a personal visit from me, myself." He flashed him his full smile. "I'm Sonny Corinthos."

"Mr. Corinthos, I'm sorry. I didn't know…." He stammered as Max and Milo held a tight grip on either of his shoulders while pinning him on his knees on the floor.

"You know that's a problem in this line of work Santo" Johnny chimed in. "You need to know all the players in town before you move in thinking you're going to use women and children against people." He moved and stood on the other side of the front of the desk next to Sonny. "We don't do that in Port Charles. Mostly because all hell breaks loose in this town when you do, and all bets are off."

"I..I apologize Mr. Corinthos, Mr. Zaccara." He offered weakly looking down on the ground wondering how or if he would ever get out of this room alive.

"You know, I'm not much for apologies myself." He looked up in the air as if he was pondering something. "I tend to doubt the sincerity behind it." He got up off the desk and stood directly in front of Danny. "So you know, that being said, I'm left to wonder what to do with someone that showed me such disrespect by ordering one of his men to put their hands on my daughter."

"I…I didn't know, I did not mean any dis.." but before he could finish Sonny delivered a back hand to his face. "Here's another lesson for you. I really, really, don't like being interrupted."

He bent down to face him. "I'm giving you a one time deal. You have 2 hours to get out of town. If I ever, ever hear of, or see your sorry excuse for a face again no one will recognize the bits and pieces left of you at your funeral. Do I make myself clear?"

The young man shook his head and Max and Milo shoved his face violently onto the floor.

"Just so you know there are no hard feelings my associates here will escort you to the state line." Johnny motioned to 2 of his men that picked him up off the floor and ushered him out.

Johnny turned to Sonny. "Look I know you didn't do this in any way to help me and I'm 100% fine with that, but I'm going to thank you anyway." With that he turned to leave but Max and Milo blocked the doorway. The remaining guard Johnny brought with him instinctively moved forward, but Johnny shook his head and motioned for him to stand down. He turned back around, knowing what was coming.

"Stay away from my daughter Johnny. You won't be so lucky as to just get an escort out of town. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." Johnny wanted to argue but knew this wasn't the place. With that he turned and left.

Penthouse

Kristina was setting a large bowl of popcorn on the coffee table when Johnny came in. To his surprise Grumpy came running up to him wagging his bobbed tail.

"Well, look who finally stopped growling." He laughed and knelt down to pet the dog and scratch behind his ears.

"Yeah, I guess after you saved us last night he decided you're a pretty good guy." She smiled at him and ate a piece of popcorn as she sat down on the couch.

"Yeah, well, I can't really remember the last time anyone thought I was a pretty good guy." He sat down next to Kristina on the couch and she knew he had a rough day taking care of the issue of the person after them.

"Are you ok?" she propped her arm up on the couch and tilted her head towards him.

"Yes and no." He thought for a second before responding more. "You don't have to worry about anyone bothering you anymore so that's the yes part. The no part is that I'm just angry with myself for letting you get mixed up in this in the first place. It never should have happened."

"Can I say something here?"

"Sure."

"Look, I know the look on your face ok. I know the next thing out of your mouth is going to be 'your world is too dangerous for me' and 'you deserve better than me Kristina', blah, blah, blah." She gave him a matter of fact look. "I'm different than any other person you'd have this conversation with Johnny, do you know why?"

"Why?" he was interested to hear her take on this.

"Because no matter who I'm with my life is always going to be in some sort of danger. Long before you I was kidnapped and held as leverage against my dad, long after you I'm pretty sure it will happen again at some point in my life. I'm his daughter and as much as I would like to change that sometimes, fact is I can't. It's a reality I live with and have lived with since birth." She reached over and held his hand. "I think better than anyone else in this world you can understand that. So, the fact that you are in my life doesn't put me at risk. My life already is, and that is just fact. However, I think, and you can chime in here if you'd like, but I think, the fact that you are in my life right now actually makes me safer."

"How do you figure that?"

"Well, instead of just having to worry about my father, now if someone tries to come after me they are taking on you too. Now correct me if I'm wrong but even for the deadliest, most criminal of people, that would be a pretty stupid move to take on both Sonny Corinthos and Johnny Zaccara, don't you think?"

She did have a point and in a weird way that was what he was banking on today and why he contacted Sonny. How was it that this young girl seemed to understand things better than anyone he's ever been with? He asked the question to himself but already knew the answer. Their respective fathers.

Johnny leaned over and kissed her.

"You remember how crazy your dad got when he thought we were dating before?"

"Yeah, he almost blew us both up." She rolled her eyes at the memory.

"Yeah, well, and we were just pretending then. Can you imagine his reaction now?"

"My dad doesn't dictate who I allow in my life. He tries but he would never hurt anyone I care about or he'd lose me forever. In the back of his mind he knows that."

She had a point. But he didn't want to hide anything from her.

"Your dad told me to stay away from you. Again."

She nodded and looked at him for a moment searching for an answer in his face. "Well, what do you want?"

He looked at her and then leaned in closer to give her a long, at first soft, but then it grew into a deep, meaningful kiss.

When they separated she looked into his eyes. "Good answer."

Chapter 8

3 more days went by and Kristina albeit against Johnny's wishes, is ready to move back to her apartment.

"I really wish you'd stay here just a little while longer."

"Johnny, you said yourself, the threat is gone. I can't let my brand new apartment just sit vacant." She moved over to him and reached her arms around his waist and gave him a hug. "You just don't want to admit you're going to miss me." She teased him.

Hugging her back. "I will gladly admit that I'm going to miss you. I've gotten used to lying next to you at night, and I'm definitely going to miss your cooking."

"Well, maybe if you play your cards right I'll come back and cook you dinner sometime."

"How about I take you to dinner tonight?"

"Sure. You know what I have been craving the grilled chicken sandwich at Kelly's."

"I was thinking more like the Metro Court but whatever you want." He laughed.

"Mr. Zaccara you don't have to flash a bunch of money around to impress me. I like you whether we are dancing on a roof top in Manhattan or eating popcorn in front of the TV." She flashed him that infectious smile that he has grown to love and threw her bag over her shoulder.

"I guess I'm ready."

"No, hey, give me that, I'll take it for you." He took the bag off her shoulder. She walked over and got Grumpy's leash and hooked it onto his harness then walked back over to Johnny and took his hand. He kissed her lips and then opened the door for her to exit first.

That night at Kelly's

Kristina and Johnny were laughing at a corner table when Max walked in. He saw them together and immediately went up to the couple.

"Johnny, could you step outside with me please." He said in a way that said it was not a request. He was about to answer when Kristina chimed in.

"Actually Max we were in the middle of a date and you are being very rude."

"Kristina, your father has warned Johnny to stay away from you, and he's obviously…" she cut him off.

"He's obviously following MY wishes and ignoring what my father said. I wish you would do the same."

"Ignoring your fathers orders isn't exactly in my job description Kristina. I'm paid to follow his orders, plus I happen to agree that Johnny isn't safe for you to be around."

"Really? Well by that logic I should never see my dad again either right? Should I tell him that was your suggestion?" she asked growing irritated.

"What? No, I didn't say.."

"Look Max, why don't I make this easy on you. Johnny and I will both go see my dad." She grabbed her coat and bag and shot Johnny a look that said she was serious. He got up, threw some money on the table and followed her out.

Sonny's home.

Kristina threw open the doors and made her presence known.

"Dad!" walking into the living room "Dad!"

Sonny came out of the kitchen wiping his hands with a towel.

"Kristina, what.." he stopped when he saw Johnny and Max with her. "What's going on here?"

"I thought we should have this out once and for all so that I don't have to have your paid henchmen harassing either Johnny or myself."

"Sorry boss, I saw Kristina with Johnny and wanted to enforce what you told him the last time you saw him." Max said trying to explain.

"It's ok Max. Could you leave us alone please."

"Sure boss." He closed the doors behind him and left the three in the living room.

"Look Kristina if you're here to fight with me over you being around Johnny then you can save your breath. Johnny knows where I stand on this and so do you. You two are not to see each other or you know, I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands."

"What, are you going to try and blow him up again? Did you learn nothing Dad! Did you learn nothing from nearly killing or paralyzing me? Did you not learn from Jax that you can't just kill people for disagreeing with you?"

"Look, Kristina, if you want to talk to me let's go in the dining room and have some dinner, it's about ready, and…"

"My god Dad, you just don't get it do you? Do you have any idea what I've gone through just being your daughter? Do you have any idea what it was like for me to be kidnapped when I was 5 years old and seeing men shot down dead in front of me I don't know how many times? Johnny doesn't endanger me any more than you do."

"Kristina I've tried to protect you and your brothers the best I can. I'm sorry for what you've gone through and seen because of me, but don't you see that hanging around Johnny is only going to make it worse?"

"You know Dad Johnny told me he went to you to help him when I was attacked. Don't you think that maybe if I had both of you protecting me it would be better than just one of you?" She took a breath and regained a little composure. "I'm not naïve enough to think that you are ever going to give me your blessing to be around Johnny as a friend or something more, but you need to understand that I am 19 years old, and you can either choose to be a part of my life or you can see me walk out your door and never again walk through it. Is that what you want?"

"I'd rather you hate me for the rest of your life than watch you do something that is going to end with you getting hurt or dead."

"Dad, by just being your daughter I can be hurt or killed." She said very calmly. "I'm not saying that to be mean to you, I'm saying that because it's true. You can either let me live my life so that maybe when, one of the decisions I've made goes bad, I feel enough love and respect from you to come knocking on your door for a home cooked meal and a place to stay, or you can alienate me to where I don't feel like I can come to you for anything, and I spend the rest of my life without a father."

For the first time in a long time Sonny isn't sure what to say.

"This is really your choice Dad. I'm telling you how I feel. Please just let me make my own choices whether they are right or wrong I deserve enough love and respect from you to make them."

Johnny has never heard Sonny spoken to in such a manner, nor has he ever felt any kind of sympathy for the man he's spent the better part of 5 years hating. But in this moment with his daughter pleading her case to him he begins to feel how difficult this must be for him. He knows exactly the life Johnny leads. He's living it and he doesn't want that for his daughter.

"Look Sonny, I'm not going to pretend that we get along at all, or that we ever will, but you have my word that I am NOT using Kristina to get to you. I care about her and I would die before I let anyone or anything hurt her, and regardless of what you think of me or what I think of you, I know you're her father and as her father I give you my word that I will not hurt your daughter."

Sonny took a deep breath and walked over to his mantle and looked at the pictures of all of his kids smiling faces knowing they don't look that happy often enough.

He turned back to look at Kristina and Johnny and although it made his blood boil he didn't want to lose his daughter. He would bide his time and bite his tongue. For the moment.

"I'm, you know, I'm not going to give you my blessing, I can't, but…I will let this be for now."

Kristina knew that was as big a concession as she was going to get and she was ok with that. She smiled and slowly walked over to her dad and hugged him.

"I don't always agree with you either Dad but as hard as I try to not sometimes, I still love you. Thank you."

He hadn't gotten a genuine hug from his daughter in a very long time. Again, though, he's not saying he supports this but he's going to back off for now.

"I will always love you sweetheart."

Kristina's apartment

Johnny and Kristina enter and she throws her keys on the coffee table.

"I still just can't get over that. That was by far the biggest miracle I have ever witnessed in my life." Johnny plops down on the couch still shocked by what transpired at Sonny's house.

"Well I am quite amazing you know." She takes off her coat and puts her hands on her hips in self kudos. Johnny reaches up and pulls her on his lap with one arm. "Well, that is definitely something I already knew." She laughs as he pulls her down to him but then they lock eyes and fall into a kiss. They've kissed many times over the last week and they've slept in the same bed and held each other all night but they have resisted going any further, both wanting to make sure they are taking that step for no other reason than the feelings they have for each other.

The kiss starts off slow but builds longer and stronger, deeper and more passionate. She keeps one hand on the side of his face and the other slowly moves down his neck and then his chest. She moves her small fingers in circles pressing hard against him exploring his muscular build. He holds the back of her neck with one hand and finds his other slipping slowly down her back and coming to rest on the small of it and slightly pressing her closer to him. She feels her desire for him building. The last time she did want to be with him and had desire for him, but also a desire to forget and replace an image in her head with something else. Now, she is thinking of all the amazing tenderness Johnny has shown her over the last week as well as that one night 2 weeks ago. She is thinking of his laugh, his strength, his care for her, the intoxicating smell of his neck when she cuddles into him. She presses her chest against his and slips both hands around and down his shoulders to slip his jacket off.

My god, she is beautiful, Johnny thinks to himself. As he kisses her he is flooded with the memory of her body intertwined with his the last time. He sees the image of her in that cream colored dress when they went into the city, and the way it hugged her curves. He sees her amazing smile and hears her infectious laugh in his head. The days with her, and the nights lying next to her have been the happiest he's had in a very long time. She pressed her chest against his and took off his coat. He slowly separated their lips to search her eyes for a sign as to how far she wanted him to go. She was breathless and looked at him with cheeks flushed, and eyes that seemed like they were staring a hole into his soul. She returned his gaze knowing he wanted a sign from her. She slowly moved her lips to his neck and down to his collarbone. He took a deep breath and let out a small moan. He felt her move both her hands down the front of his chest slowly and slipped her fingertips into the waist of his jeans and pulled up on his shirt until it came loose and then lifted it off of him. By this time she was breathing heavily and stopped to look at him.

He was absolutely gorgeous. Her body was aching to be with him again, which caught her by surprise. There he was in front of her, with what she knew was desire in his eyes too. She didn't want to stop. It was time to be together again, and this time because they truly wanted to be. She slipped her hands down and unbuttoned his jeans. He stopped her and gave her a kiss that took her breath away, then scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom.

The last time they were together Johnny took care to be especially gentle with her and Kristina followed his lead and allowed him to teach her what it meant to be with someone in an experience that was for all intents and purposes her real first time with a man. This time Johnny allowed more passion to escape him as his desire for her has only grown. Kristina was allowing herself to explore not only Johnny's body but her own and how his made her feel. This night together was unforgettable for them both.

The next morning.

Johnny woke first and brushed her bangs to the side of her forehead. Kristina slowly opened her eyes to see him staring at her. "Good morning beautiful." Kristina covered her mouth and yawned to wake herself up. "Morning." She offered back smiling at him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked knowing he didn't hurt her but still wanting to be sure.

Knowing the intent of his question, "Haven't you stopped worrying about me yet? Johnny you didn't hurt me. Last night was amazing. I..I don't even know what to say to you without turning beet red, which I'm sure I already am." She blushed and looked down at this chest to avoid his gaze.

He let out a small laugh and smiled. "I like you beet red." He kissed her softly, the smile never leaving his face.

"Well, what about, I mean, uhm… what about you?" she was still staring at his chest.

"What do you mean?" he asked puzzled by the question.

"I mean, was it, you know, was it nice for you too?" she had wondered it in the back of her mind last time they were together too but didn't have the courage to ask him before now. She knew she was young and very inexperienced and Johnny had been with a lot of different women.

He put his fingers under her chin and tilted her head back up to look at him. "Kristina, you were amazing and being with you makes me feel like the luckiest guy in the world. I know I've never done anything to deserve you."

"I don't know what I've done to deserve YOU. I mean, how did this happen really? One minute we were friends and now I can't imagine experiencing this with anyone else. You've shown me what making love should be, and how it is supposed to feel." She paused for a second. "I just know that you are SO much more experienced than I am and I don't want to be disappointing to you."

"Hey, don't even think that for a second. You were amazing, but what amazes me most is that you've allowed me to make love to you. I'm the lucky one. You know, the fact that you haven't had much experience isn't a bad thing."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, I really don't enjoy thinking of anyone's hands other than mine on you." He lifted her hand to kiss it. "I hate to think of what you went through with Keifer, and I swear to god if he wasn't already dead I'd kill him myself for what he did to you. So for me I can just try and hope that I can erase any bad memory you have and make only good ones."

"You know when I think about some of the things I've gone through, I try to take comfort in thinking that for some reason I was supposed to go through the things that I did. Like, I don't know, like maybe it is supposed to form me into being who I'm supposed to be. Maybe that sounds corny."

"No, you might be right, I just never thought of it that way before. I think I've spent more time being angry at my old man than anything else. I've hated being born into this life but I just don't know any other. Now I'm just so tired of wasting my day being angry all the time."

"I know what you mean, and you're right, it's such a waste, especially when there are SO many better things to do with our time." She took a breath and clapped her hand on top of Johnny's as if to change the subject. "How about you help me with another first for me?"

"What would that be?"

She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "My first shower with a man."

"This is the way I want to wake up every day." He said kissing her and picking her up out of the bed and making their way to the shower.

Chapter 9

Kelly's

"I am starving!" she said as they made their way to the counter. "I could eat 2 breakfasts right now."

"Well, Ms. Davis I think we burned off a lot of calories." He grinned mischievously at her. She laughed and playfully punched him in the middle of his chest. They grabbed coffees and placed their order as they went to grab a table. Johnny pulled her chair out for her and she sat down, then as he looked up to go to his seat the bell of the swinging door caught his attention and he looked up. The fun smile faded and was replaced by an uncertain and guarded look.

Kristina looked up to see what caught Johnny's attention and the smile that had been there left her face as well. Time wasn't so long ago that seeing his face would have been all she needed to smile. Ethan.

Ethan got back in town last night. He had spent the last couple of weeks trying to make sense of what happened and what his feelings were. He wanted to stop by Kelly's and grab a coffee before taking off to find Kristina to talk. He wasn't prepared to see her yet, he wanted to take a walk and think more about how he wanted to say what he wanted to say to her, and he definitely was not prepared to see her so close and so playful with Johnny. He felt like he stepped in concrete and his feet weighed a ton each. He knew he should move but he couldn't.

"Ethan."

He heard his name and then felt the hand on his back. "Ethan, hey, I'm glad you're…back." Lucky said noticing what his brother was focused on.

"Hey man, come on, let's sit out here." He was guiding Ethan to a table outside. Ethan finally moved his feet and followed his brother to sit at a table.

"Sorry if that was a blow to you man."

"What do you mean?" he asked confused.

"Well, I don't have any type of official statement or anything but from what I've seen I think Johnny and Kristina are seeing each other now." He really hated having to tell his brother this after how crazed he was a few weeks ago.

Ethan shook his head as if he didn't really hear the words. "Wait, what do you mean by 'what you've seen'?"

Great. He thought. "Look, man you just got back in town, why don't…."

"Lucky. Just say it mate."

"Well, Kristina moved out of the lakehouse and I guess she was out with Johnny then he dropped her off back at her apartment and left. But, someone must have followed them back because after he left she was attacked."

"What, but, oh my god, what did…"he felt like his heart was in his throat. Not again, she should not go through anything like that again.

"Wo, wo, wo, she's ok. Her dog attacked the guy and then Johnny came back and knocked him out. He called us and the guy was arrested. Funny thing though, he somehow committed suicide while he was in the cell." He said sarcastically.

"What?"

"Yeah, and uh, the Santo family suddenly disappeared from Port Charles too right about the same time. We can't prove anything but at least Kristina is safe for now."

"See, just when I thought things couldn't possibly get any more screwed up then what they were, you tell me this." He threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "So, what you're also saying is that they are seeing each other and someone decided to send John a message through Kristina." It wasn't a question. He knew the answer.

"Well, what is or isn't going on with Johnny and Kristina notwithstanding, you took off I'm assuming to think about how you feel. So, how do you feel?"

He was quiet and shook his head slightly back and forth as if contemplating Lucky's question but trying not to lose his composure at the same time. "How do I feel? How do I feel? Hmm, well Lucky you know, I feel sick to my stomach that by me trying to be a 'good guy' I pushed away this beautiful, young girl, that not only do I find incredibly attractive, I think I actually love her. Top that with the fact that by pushing her away because I thought it wouldn't be 'right' or 'honorable', I pushed her right into the arms of my former best friend, who is also someone that can likely get her killed simply because she crossed a street with him."

"Ok, well, what are you going to do about it."

Ethan took a deep breath to regroup then let it out. "Well mate, I think I've been Mr. Honorable too long. It's against my nature anyway, and look where it's gotten me." He flicked a straw off the table. "It's time for me to go back to being who I truly am, and that's someone that see's what they want, and goes after it."

He stood up and looked in the window for a moment before turning back to Lucky. "I love Kristina, all of this that has happened is my fault for pushing her away in the first place and not admitting how I felt about her." He walked back to the table. "I'm going to go after her mate, and Johnny Zaccara be damned."

Inside

Kristina and Johnny were eating their breakfast. For a few minutes they tried to ignore the fact that they both saw Ethan. Kristina was picking at her plate pushing pieces of pancake around.

"I thought you were starving." He said taking a bite of his omelette.

"I was. I just, I don't know, lost my appetite a little." She set her fork down and sipped her coffee.

"Is it Ethan?" He didn't want to tip toe around the subject but was already putting his guard up to steal himself for the answer. He had to expect this. I mean he wasn't going to stay gone forever and Johnny of all people knows his happiness never lasts long.

Kristina looked at him. She could tell he was cautiously waiting for her answer. "Yes, but not maybe for the reason you think. I'm not in love with Ethan. I'm not going to go chasing after him. I just can't help but still feel angry with how he treated us that morning at the penthouse."

"He was caught by surprise. I think he could have handled it better too but I guess maybe I'm willing to cut him a little slack on it." He was telling the truth. He didn't hate Ethan. He was a good friend and a good guy to have in your corner. Of course that doesn't mean that he's going to step back and let Ethan go after Kristina now without a fight.

"Well, maybe you're a better person than I am. I think it's ridiculous that he pushes me away time after time, I finally listen, leave him alone and move on with my life, and then he erupts and goes postal on you because it happened to be you I moved on with. It's stupid, macho b.s. Do you think he'd have done the same thing if it was any other guy?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

Looking at Johnny's discomfort with this topic Kristina tries to ease his mind. "Maybe regardless of how angry I am at Ethan, you should know that it doesn't change how I feel about you." She reaches out to take his hand across the table. "I want to be with you."

He smiled as he looked at her small hand on top of his. "I want to be with you too."

"Well, you are, so I don't want you to think twice about the fact that Ethan is back in town. I also don't want you to fight because of me. I know you are friends and I don't want to mess that up."

"We were friends. I really don't see us being friends again anytime soon. But I don't want you to think twice about that. It's not your fault. It just is what it is."

"I'm sorry."

"Like I said, don't think twice about it. It's not your fault." He took the last drink of his coffee. "Come on, we better get you to class or you'll be late."

They took hands and walked out of Kelly's. As they walked through the door they saw Ethan and Lucky sitting at a table out front. All 3 stopped and steeled themselves for the inevitable confrontation. Ethan was the first on his feet.

"Kristina, do you have a minute?"

"Actually, no I don't. I'm headed to class."

"Well, this will only take a second. I owe you an apology. Both of you." Looking at up at Johnny too. "We can talk about this more later if you'd like but I don't want to wait any longer to tell you both I'm sorry for how I acted when I found you together. I had no right to act that way. I was caught off guard myself by my reaction to seeing the two of you together. But, you're both adults and can do what you please. You two are two of the best friends I've made here and I don't want to lose you over a dumb fight."

Johnny was highly suspicious of Ethan's apology. It just didn't sound right. He was acting like a man in love and betrayed before and now he's acting like just a friend. Something didn't add up.

"Well Ethan I don't want to stand in the way of yours and Johnny's friendship. For what it's worth, what happened caught us by surprise too and it wasn't planned. But, I guess everything works out the way it is supposed to. I'm not the little girl chasing around after you anymore, but you were a good friend to me when I really needed one and I'd rather not lose you either." She said sincerely. She couldn't help but still feel twinges in her gut of residual feelings for Ethan. His accent and smile had a way of melting her heart, but her school girl rose colored glasses were off and now Johnny has been everything that she ever wanted Ethan to be towards her.

"Look Ethan, why don't you come by the Penthouse in about an hour and we'll talk after I drop Kristina off and run a few errands." Johnny was less trusting of his former Aussie best friend but didn't want to get into it here.

"Sure mate. I'll be there, and Kristina, thank you. I hope I'll see you around soon."

Johnny puts his hand on Kristina's back and guided her towards the car as Ethan watched them leave.

"What was that about?" Lucky asked shocked at the courteous exchange between the three.

"Well, you know what they say mate. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. I'm not going to get anywhere with Kristina if she's mad at me and I can't protect her from Johnny's world if I'm not allowed back in it."

"Yeah, well, don't forget who you're dealing with. He's still a Zaccara, and don't think that he won't go after you just because you were friends. In that business you eliminate your enemy plain and simple."

"I can handle myself Lucky. But thanks for the concern."

Penthouse

Knock at the door. Johnny walks over and opens it knowing full well who it is.

"John." Ethan greeted, although he was still resisting the urge to punch him in the face.

"Ethan. Come in. Have a seat." Motioning to the couch.

Ethan walked over and sat down. He noticed along the coffee table were Kristina's favorite magazines that he knew John would not ever be reading even out of desperation, along with a hair clip he was sure belonged to her. The thought of her hanging out here with Johnny or even spending the night with Johnny made his stomach sour.

"Ok, so let's get this out in the open now because I'm not buying the load of crap you threw at Kristina and me this morning. What's your angle here Ethel?" Johnny sat opposite him on the other couch with his arms outstretched over the back cushions.

He knew this was coming and had to be careful to play this just right. Shouldn't be a problem though, he is after all a con man at heart. "Look mate, you have every right to be distrustful and I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to haul off and pay me back for the punches I threw your way a few weeks ago, but I gave everything you said a lot of thought over the last few weeks and realized you were actually wrong."

Suspicious. "What do you mean, wrong?"

"You told me that I was lying to you and myself and you were sorry you didn't see it before that I loved Kristina. Well, that is the thing. I don't, I mean, I do, but not in that way. I love her as my friend. I was shocked and confused about seeing the two of you together but when I thought about it, it wasn't because I was in love with Kristina. It was because I care about her and I thought you took advantage of her. I was seeing red that day but it wasn't because I wanted to be with her, instead, it was because here is this young girl that had been beaten by her boyfriend repeatedly, was almost blown up by her own father, and then had her heart broken by me albeit unintentionally, and then winds up in bed with you? No offense."

"Taken." Johnny didn't flinch and only listened to what Ethan had to say but still wasn't convinced Ethan didn't love Kristina. He did however know what it looked like and knew people would think he's taking advantage of Kristina.

"So, what you're telling me is that you DON'T love Kristina and the fact that you were wallowing at Jake's that night had nothing to do with the fact you caught her kissing another guy, AND that the reason you punched and threatened to choke the life out of me for sleeping with Kristina was because you felt some sort of what 'brotherly' concern for her?" Johnny asked almost accusatory.

"I didn't say 'brotherly'. Look mate, I was confused too but it wasn't because I love Kristina, I don't, again not that way. But, I'd be lying if I said I didn't care about her. I care a lot about her and what happens to her. I saw what Keifer did to her. I picked her up off the floor in the Lakehouse when it looked like she was broken into a million pieces and you could barely see the color of her skin under the black, blue, and purple bruises everywhere. I have strong feelings of protection for her. I can't really explain it any better than that. But as for you and Kristina, I can't say that I am thrilled you two are seeing each other, mainly because of those exact feelings of protection. I don't want to see her get hurt either by you cheating on her or by an associate shooting her in the crossfire. But, when push comes to shove all I can really do is be there for her as the friend I've always been." He let a little of his true feelings out on that last comment about getting shot.

"I wouldn't cheat on Kristina. But for the record, you don't have to worry about protecting her anymore. I'll take care of that from now on. But now, knowing a little more about what she went through with Keifer, I do understand your feelings of protectiveness for her a little better. For what it's worth, I'm sorry things went down the way they did, you've been a good friend to me and I didn't want it to end that way." He eyed him suspiciously and still had a nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right.

"Who said it ended? Look mate, I lost my temper, I overreacted, it doesn't change that we've made a good team. I'm not interested in seeing it end. Plus, you aren't going to find a guard or any other person on your team that knows or cares about Kristina as much as I do. I am still useful to you, and I could still use the occasional job, that much hasn't changed." He gave him his signature smirk, knowing Johnny wouldn't be the easiest person to pull a con over on.

Hmmmm. Interesting, Johnny thought. Keep Ethan around? He wasn't prepared for that.

"Well Ethel, your work has always been great but let me think on this for a bit." With that he stood up to end this conversation.

"Alright mate. I'll be around." He extended his hand. "No hard feelings."

"Sure." He shook Ethan's hand and opened the door for him. Walking out Ethan hoped he'd put on a good performance. It took everything in him to not strangle Johnny Zaccara where he stood.

Johnny closed the door and walked over to pour himself a drink. He took a swallow then went and sat back down on the couch. 'What is Ethan up to?' he thought to himself. 'He's mad I'm with Kristina. I can see it, so why is he lying to me, and why does he still want to work for me?'. He took another drink. He sat for a few minutes contemplating when his phone went off breaking his concentration. It was a text.

'How about dinner tonight?' Kristina

A smile came to his lips. He couldn't help it. He finds himself thinking about her more and more every day, and each time he smiles.

'Sure. How about I cook for you at my place?' he texted back.

'I'll be there.' Xoxo

He took another drink, and then returned his thoughts to Ethan. Well, until I figure it out I might as well keep an eye on him and keep him close to me. After all, he is right. No one knows Kristina better and with word getting around about his and Kristina's relationship it's better to be safe than sorry. He'll think more about it later though. He had a meeting to get to.

Penthouse

Johhny was pulling the lasagna out of the oven when he heard the knock at the door.

"Come in!" he yelled from the kitchen.

Kristina opened the door. "Seriously!" she walked in a dropped her bag by the steps.

"What?" he asked confused as she stood staring at him with her hands on her hips.

"You left your door unlocked and just let me walk in? Do you KNOW who you are?"

"Yes dear." He teased her and walked over to kiss her.

"I'm serious Johnny. You should be more careful. My dad ALWAYS has guards at his door, and not that I like guards because I don't but I do see the need for them in your case."

"I have guards downstairs, and I'm a little better at hand to hand combat than your dad is."

"Yeah well, you also don't have a 'Jason' on your payroll." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Hey, I could take offense to that comment. I like to think I'm Jason and Sonny all rolled into one. Besides, I would have opened the door myself but I left it open because I knew you were coming and I was hard at work cooking us dinner in the kitchen."

"Well, it smells great. Is it ready? I'm starving! Sorry, I'm running a little late. I made a stop before I came over."

"Yeah, it's all ready, I just need to dish it out. Where'd you stop?"

"Nowhere, I just had to pick something up before I came over."

Johnny gave her a questioning look. "You're trying to hide something from me." He teased her, with his eyes narrowed staring at her.

"Don't you worry about it." She said coyly. "I'm going to take my bag upstairs and I'll be right back."

"You brought a bag?"

"Yeah, I hope that's ok. I just figured I'd stay here tonight." It seemed like a no brainer for her, she wanted to be with Johnny but as the words came out of her mouth she realized maybe she should have asked him first. This is just all new to her.

"It sounds good to me. I love having you here." He wrapped his arms around the small of her back and pulled her closer for another kiss. As they parted he bent down to pick up her bag.

"I'll take it upstairs for you though."

"No, no, no, you get back in the kitchen there Mr. and finish my dinner." She mock commanded.

"Yes ma'am." He swatted her rear softly as she turned to go upstairs.

"Oooo, you're going to pay for that Mr. Zaccara." She narrowed her eyes at him but continued up the stairs.

After dinner

"Oh my goodness Johnny, I'm stuffed, that was delicious! Where did you learn to cook like that." She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her stomach.

"Just one of my many talents." He leaned back and imitated her in the chair but pushed his stomach out mockingly.

"Ha Ha! Very funny!" she smacked his stomach with her hand. "Are you trying to call me fat?" she teased him.

"Oh please! You barely weigh anything! I think you'd be the last person in the world to be called fat."

"Good, so how about we grab some ice cream and watch a movie then?"

"Didn't you just say you were stuffed?" he asked shocked.

"Yeah, I could always go for some ice cream though. Do you have any?"

"Do I have any? Who do you think you're talking to here Ms. Davis?" he got up from the table and made his way into the kitchen to open the freezer, so Kristina followed peeking under his shoulder as she was too small to peek over.

"Ok, I've got cookies and cream, rocky road, or my personal favorite…"

"Oooo, mint chip! I love that one! Was that what you were going to say?"

"What can I say, you are a girl after my own heart."

"Well, don't worry I'm not going to stalk you like I did Ethan."

"Hey, I don't think I'd be complaining." He smiled at her, he kissed her nose.

"Thank you."

"Why don't you go pick a movie and I'll dish this out?"

"Deal. Make mine two scoops please."

"Yes Ma'am."

After the movie

Johnny had dozed off laying his head on top of Kristina on the sofa. When the movie ended she moved to get up and he jolted awake.

"You did NOT fall asleep did you?"

"No, no, I, uh" rubbing his eyes.

"Oh please, do not even try to lie." She rolled her eyes at him. "Are you tired or did you just not like the movie?"

"I always like your movies. It's like insight into you." He teased her while he yawned. "I am a little tired."

"Oh." She took a little breath and looked away for a second.

"What?" he noticed her reaction.

"Oh nothing. It's ok." She shook her head.

"No, something's up, what is it?"

She pressed her lips together like she wasn't sure how to say what she was thinking. "It's not a big deal."

"Ok, well, you'll learn this about me but see, I'm going to keep hounding you and hounding you until you tell me what's wrong so you'll save us both a lot of time if you just tell me."

"Well, maybe I will show you instead." She kissed him quickly and then pulled back. "I'll be right back." She went upstairs.

Unsure of what to expect from Kristina Johnny just shook the thought of trying to figure it out, out of his head and went about picking up the ice cream bowls and taking them to the kitchen. He put them in the sink and was about to head upstairs when there was a knock at his door.

"Who is it?" he said as he took a step towards the door.

"It's me mate, I've got some news."

Great, he thought. Oh well, there are no secrets about Kristina being there this time. He opened the door and let him in.

"What is it, I'm busy right now?" he said slightly annoyed at the interruption but more annoyed that it was Ethan.

"Hey, I was just walking into Jake's when I saw Danny Santo getting into a car across the street. I heard you ran him out of town while I was gone."

"Sonny and I did. What the hell is he doing back in town?" he looked worried, which made Ethan worry.

"You AND Sonny? I think I missed more than I thought."

Johnny rubbed his face and made his way over to the bar while Ethan waited for an explanation. Usually Johnny would offer up the information Ethan hinted at but he didn't seem like he was going to do that this time because silence hung in the air for a good minute while Johnny thought.

"See, this is what I wanted to show …"Kristina froze in her tracks on the stairs as both Johnny and Ethan turned towards her and saw pretty much _everything_! She was wearing a see through long black negligee that softly floated against her skin but concealed absolutely nothing!

Ethan's jaw dropped open. Kristina's eyes bulged so wide they looked like they were going to pop out of her head. Johnny's heart stopped for a split second because she was absolutely beautiful, but his senses kicked in quickly. He grabbed Ethan and turned him around forcefully. "TURN AROUND!"

The sound of his voice shocked Kristina and she moved her arms protectively around herself but couldn't run because her foot stepped on her negligee and her heel caught in the bottom. She whipped her head from side to side looking for something, anything!

Johnny jumped up the stairs quickly and popped the buttons off of his shirt by ripping it off so fast and covering Kristina with it. He knelt down and unhooked her shoe from the fabric.

"Oh, my god, oh my god…"she was screaming to herself.

"It's ok sweety. I'm SO sorry I let him in, I didn't know. Just go upstairs ok, I'll be right there." He tried to get her to look him in the eye but she was beet red and looked like she was going to throw up. All she could do was nod her head and scurry back upstairs.

"K-Kristina, I'm so sor-sorry…" Ethan was stammering trying to get an apology out while the image of her was burning into his brain! She didn't respond as she scurried up the stairs.

"Shut up Ethan!" Johnny was the one boiling now thinking of how much of a look Ethan just got of Kristina. He came back down and opened the door. "It's time for you to leave."

Ethan could hear Johnny open the door for him but he hesitated to turn around. So many emotions were washing over him. Kristina was _so_ beautiful, he was fairly certain the Santo family were the ones that attacked Kristina, Sonny helped Johnny run them out of town, and Johnny was about to go upstairs and put his hands all over Kristina and he could do absolutely nothing to stop it! His thoughts were swirling around so quickly it was making him dizzy.

"Yo Ethel, the door is open! You can walk through it or I can throw you through it!" Johnny's own protectiveness of Kristina was now coming out and he could feel his fists clench and his blood pumping through his veins.

"I'm going. I'm going. Look, I'm sorry, I didn't know, but it doesn't change why I came over here." He offered to Johnny with seriousness in his tone as he looked at him from the other side of the door opening now.

Johnny had to take a deep breath before he spoke. "Look, I appreciate the info. I'll take it from here though." He went to close the door but Ethan put his hand out to stop it. "But Kristina…" he started to say.

"Is safe, and she won't be alone tonight." He smirked and took some satisfaction in saying that to Ethan. "I'll call you tomorrow." With that he closed the door.

Ethan gripped the frame of Johnny's door so hard he had imprints on the palm of his hands that nearly bled when he finally let the door frame go. Everything in him wanted to bust through that door and take Kristina away with him. But if she didn't leave with him now he's not sure he'd get another chance with her and he couldn't risk it. He had to earn her trust again. His inner voice in his head was screaming so loudly he couldn't think. He had to let it go and leave.

Johnny knocked and opened the door to his bedroom slowly. "Kristina? Sweety, are you ok?"

She was sitting on the bed wrapped in his shirt still. She looked up at him. She wasn't crying so that was a good sign. He smiled at her and walked over to sit down next to her. She turned to face him. "I am completely mortified." She said shaking her head. "I'm SO sorry Johnny."

"Hey, why are you apologizing to me? You have nothing to be sorry for." He reached out and took her hand and kissed it.

"But Ethan, he saw…"

"He saw why I am the luckiest bastard in Port Charles and him seeing you was NOT your fault. It was an accident."

"Why was he here?"

"It was just business."

"Is he working for you again?"

"Yes and no. Would it bother you if he did?" he had to ask.

"No. Like I said before, you were friends and I don't want to be the reason you stop being friends. Of course now I don't know that I'd ever be able to look him in the eye again." She shivered at the thought.

"Hey, you hold your head up high. You are beautiful inside and out, and even though I don't like knowing that he saw what he saw, you don't have any reason to be embarrassed. You are the most amazing thing I've ever laid eyes on."

She couldn't help but relax after hearing his words. How did she get so lucky as to stumble into this relationship with Johnny? He is amazing.

She leaned in and kissed him softly. She pulled back after a moment and locked eyes with him, then slowly stood up and let his shirt drop to the floor.

"The times we've been together just happened and weren't planned. This time I wanted to do something special for you. I wanted to show you that I love being with you and you don't have to worry about hurting me. I'm not made of glass, and I'm not a child. I'm just me, and I'm giving myself to you."

Johnny had no words for what he was feeling. This beautiful, sweet creature that the world had given enough reasons to not trust anyone ever again, was standing in front of him completely trusting and giving herself to him. Him. He knew he didn't deserve her, he wasn't a 'good' man by any means. In that moment however, he knew he'd die to protect her and all he wanted in the world was to be the man that deserved her trust.

His eyes were still locked on hers as he stood up to face her and felt her hot breath on his bare skin as she breathed in and out. She leaned in and kissed his chest. She made her way up his neck and then whispered in his ear. "Make love to me." She whispered breathlessly.

He wanted to find words for her but couldn't. His desire and need to be with her took over. He slipped his hands behind her neck and pulled her into a passionate kiss. He slowly moved one hand down her back while the other moved down her thigh and behind her knees. He picked her up and placed her on the bed. He allowed himself to let go with her and do all the things he's wanted to. He made his way down the entire length of her body with passionate kisses and fully explored her in the process. He took his time and relished every moment. The soft moans that escaped her mouth grew into passionate gasps as he took her body to new heights. When he knew she felt like she could not take any more, he'd switch to another spot, and then again, and then again, until finally their bodies came together and she took her cue to try things she had never tried before, she moved up and down his body now and explored and experimented and took satisfaction in his moans and breathless gasps for air. It was an amazing night for them both.

Afterwards, they lay in bed both trying to catch their breath. "That was…that was..amazing." she said pausing for air in between words.

"You're amazing. I've never felt this…this way before Kristina. I want to…I want to be the man you deserve."

"I only want you to be you. I'm…I'm falling for the you that is in front of me right now. The you that has been my friend, and the you that has shown me nothing but tenderness and respect from day one."

"You're falling for me?" he propped himself up on one arm to look directly at her.

She smiled and returned his stare. "I guess maybe I shouldn't admit that but I don't want to play any games. I am. I'm falling for you Johnny." The words coming out of her mouth instantly made her feel nervous. This wasn't like following Ethan around trying to get him to admit that he liked her. This was a real relationship and Johnny has been nothing but honest and upfront with her so she doesn't want to be anything but that back.

He brushed a piece of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "I'm falling for you too. You know, I don't know how all this happened. Sometimes it feels like a weird dream. One moment we took comfort in each other and the next, I can't stop thinking about you. I know it is not going to be easy, but I think I want to see where this goes."

"I do too."

With that they fell asleep in each other's arms.

Chapter 10

Breakfast at the penthouse.

"Ok babe, I've got to get to Crimson." She sipped the last of her coffee and went to kiss Johnny.

"Hey, wo, can I talk to you about something important for a second?" He didn't want to worry her but didn't want to start their relationship with lies or sneaking around.

"Ok, but you have exactly 3 minutes before I absolutely have to walk out that door." She smiled at him while she scurried around grabbing her things.

"Kristina, look, I need to put a guard on you for a few days."

She stopped dead in her tracks. "What? Why?"

"It's more as a precaution than anything. Ethan saw someone last night and I need to follow up on it to be safe, and in the meantime I need YOU to be safe."

She could see the worry on his face and the fact that she was getting a condensed version of whatever was going on. "I hate having guards." She said plainly. 

"I know." He stood up and walked over to hold her hand. "I would rather be safe than have anything happen to you."

She looked in his eyes and thought for a moment. She trusted Johnny's judgment and after what happened at her apartment, she knew she should listen. "Ok. I guess since I was just on you about guards I should listen. But, what does that mean for me and my apartment?"

"Well, my preference for the time being is that you stay here with me. I know that might cramp your new independent style and all." He smirked at her.

"I think I can handle it." She rolled her eyes at him teasingly. "Ok, look I've got to go. I'm assuming there is a guard outside waiting for me then?"

"You assume right." This was much easier than he thought.

"Ok, well, does that mean he's driving me too?"

"Yeah, it's just easier that way."

"Ok, well, I'm off to work and I don't have class today but then after work I'm going to have to swing by the lakehouse and pick up Grumpy and then swing by my apartment and pack up a few things."

"Ok, sounds good. I've already bought Grumpy a bag of his favorite food and got him a box of his favorite treats."

"He'll be excited he gets to stay with you. Ever since the apartment incident he has new respect for you and loves when you are around."

"Yeah, well I'm grateful he's around too."

She kisses him goodbye. "Ok, I'm out. I'll text you later."

"Bye."

"Bye. Have a good day." She called over her shoulder as she opened the front door to reveal the guard waiting for her. At least he was dressed in regular clothes and not suits like Dad's guards, she thought.

"Morning." She said cheerfully.

"Morning Miss Davis."

"Kristina, no Miss Davis please. What's your name?"

"Chris."

"Nice to meet you Chris. You ready?"

"Ready when you are."

"Ok, let's roll."

Johnny allowed himself a small smile at how used to guards she is even though she doesn't like them. It's a product of their upbringing sadly. Hopefully he can ease up security in a little while, but to do so he's got to figure out what the hell Danny Santo is thinking showing his face back in Port Charles. He grabbed his coat, keys, and headed out the door to get to the bottom of this.

Haunted Star

Lucky walked in drinking his coffee. He walked up to the bar and saw 2 Crown bottles emptied laying on top tipped over.

Uh oh.

"Ethan?"

No answer.

He made his way over to Ethan's room behind the bar and opened the door. Predictable. He was passed out fully dressed on top of the covers. It looks like he's still breathing but if he were a betting man he'd say this has to do with Kristina. Well, he supposed he should do the brotherly thing and wake him and make sure he is ok both from the alcohol and his feelings for Sonny's daughter. On the other hand, Ethan is most likely not going to be in the best of moods if he wakes him.

"Ethan!" he heard Johnny calling from the entry.

He closed the door before he woke Ethan.

"Hey John."

"Lucky. Is Ethan here I need to talk to him?" he walked up to the bar and noticed the bottles.

"He's asleep and I think he needs to stay that way for a few more hours. I doubt that you'd get much out of him right now anyway."

"He's drunk huh?"

"Yeah, I'm thinking so by the looks of this but I just got here myself."

"hmm." Was Johnny's only response.

"What? Do you know something about why he'd be like this now?"

Johnny took a deep breath because he was wondering the same thing. Why would he drink until he passed out after he saw Kristina with him last night? This didn't sound like the acts of a man that didn't feel anything beyond 'friendship' for her. Why was he lying to him? 

"You know Lucky, honestly I don't know why he'd be like this now. He came over to my penthouse last night because he wanted to tell me something business related that he thought I should know. He walked in on a private moment between Kristina and myself, and now I can only assume he came home and was trying to drink away that memory. Now can you tell me something? Does this sound like a man that isn't in love with MY girlfriend?" he could feel his blood pressure rise and he used a harsher tone than he intended to.

Lucky sighed and motioned for Johnny to have a seat at the bar. He walked over and sat in the stool next to him. "Look, I don't make it a habit to get into the middle of my brother's personal life, but you all seem to be on this collision course and I know what that's like. So, let me ask something here. I know what happened weeks ago between you and Kristina. I also know how much closer to her you seemed that night at her apartment. Now, given that you also just called her your girlfriend, can I assume that you are in love with her?"

Johnny wasn't ready for that question. "Look Lucky, no disrespect here but I think the first person that I say I love Kristina to, should be Kristina. We are seeing each other now and I care about her a lot."

"Ok, that's fair. Now, Kristina is young but she's already been through a lot in her life. Ethan has always been protective of her almost since the day they met. If I were to put my money on anything I'd say he loves her. So, if you don't or maybe you aren't sure how you feel maybe you could think about the fact that Kristina has been in love with Ethan for what a year? Two? Since their relationship is now changing, maybe they should figure out how they really feel about each other too? Trust me when I tell you that it's better to just know than to have it sneak up on you years later when you are then very invested and very in love with her."

"And you're not saying that because he's your brother?" Johnny couldn't help but be defensive.

"He is my brother, I can't change that. But as I think you know, I caught my other brother having an affair with my fiancée and former wife. When I think back on it now, she tried a few different ways to tell me she wasn't ready to get married again but I didn't listen. Sometimes it's not the best thing falling in love so young because you feel so bonded to somebody as a friend that you don't want to hurt them when the relationship tries to become more. I'm no angel though I went through something similar years ago with Elizabeth's sister."

Johnny was silent. He really did not need this new insight to be on his mind now of all times. He had enough to worry about.

"Look Lucky, I appreciate the talk but I've got to go. Can you tell Ethel to call me when he is sobered up and I'd rather it be sooner than later." It really wasn't much of a request.

"I will."

"Thanks." He left with even more on his mind that he when he came in. Great.

Later that night at the penthouse

The penthouse door opened and Chris came in with a suitcase in each hand. He was followed close behind by Kristina and a growling Grumpy.

"Grumpy, knock it off already will ya?" Kristina scolded the dog.

"Hey, you leave that dog be. He has earned his keep." Johnny came over and took the large book bag off Kristina's shoulder and kissed her hello.

"Thanks Chris. Just leave them there." He instructed the guard to leave the bags at the bottom of the stairs.

"No problem Sir."

"Thanks Chris." Kristina offered grateful.

"Anytime Kristina." He returned her smile and closed the door behind him.

"So, how'd you get along with Chris?" Johnny asked as he greeted Grumpy with a long ear rub.

"Good. He's pretty funny actually. He reminds me a lot of Milo. How was your day?" she plopped down on the couch and took off her heels.

"Good."

"Did you find out whatever you needed to about the person Ethan saw?"

"A little, but not enough where I feel comfortable you not having a guard or leaving yet. Of course, selfishly I really like waking up with you." He reached over the top of the couch and rubbed her shoulders.

"Mmmm, that feels SO good." She closed her eyes and let her muscles melt into his hands.

"Well, how about you go take a nice hot bath and I'll finish up dinner?"

"Ooo, two nights in a row of you cooking for me? Talk about loving being here." She leaned up to kiss him and then got up.

"Here, I'll take those up for you." He picked up her bags and carried them upstairs.

Kristina got settled in the very large jetted tub and made herself comfortable while Johnny went back downstairs to tend to dinner.

His phone rang as he was opening a bottle of wine.

Seeing the caller ID. "Well, look who finally decided to call me?"

"Sorry mate, Lucky wrote the message that you stopped by on a paper that I didn't see until now."

"Uh huh, and I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that you were passed out drunk still at 10 o'clock this morning."

"Look mate, I may be in your employ from time to time but I'm not on your regular payroll so if I indulge a bit it really shouldn't be an issue." Ethan was being defensive. He only got up about 2 hours ago and the image of Kristina in that negligee with the image of Johnny being the one to take it off of her still bore into his brain, he wasn't in the best mood.

"Hey, just being a concerned friend Ethel."

"Yeah, thanks, so what did you need?" Ethan really didn't feel like talking to Johnny for an extended period of time.

"I wanted to let you know that my sources are telling me Danny Santo has left town again but I've got eyes everywhere waiting to see if he tries to come back again because this time we will be ready and he won't get the chance to leave. He was trying to recruit the Cruz brothers to join forces with him against Sonny and myself."

"So, I must have been gone longer than I thought, because when did hell freeze over and you and Sonny become allies? I've heard this a couple times now from both you and Lucky. What are you a joint organization now?"

"Not likely anytime soon but Danny had one of his goons attack Kristina at her apartment, not knowing her tie to Sonny, just that she meant something to me. I went to Sonny to present a united front against him and we let him know he used the wrong person to try to send a message to me with. We didn't want any blood shed on Kristina's mind so we gave him a one time deal to leave and never come back."

"Sounds like you've got a problem on your hands now mate because it doesn't sound to me like he took the threat of you OR Sonny very seriously and now he may go after Kristina again." His tone was becoming more edgy with concern and some anger at the fact Kristina was in the middle of this mess that was growing by the second.

"Well, he's gone for now but I'm going to meet with Sonny in the morning and discuss things. In the meantime I want you to keep your eyes and ears open for anything having to do with the Santo family."

"What about Kristina?"

"She's got a guard on her and I've moved her in here with me for the time being." He waited to hear Ethan's reaction to that last part.

There was silence for a second. "Well, at least she's safe."

"Yeah, she is. Thanks for the heads up though without it we might not have the upperhand that we do now." He was appreciative to Ethan because without his information this could have all caught him by surprise and Kristina could have paid the price.

"Anytime. I'll check in with you later."

"Alright." With that he hung up. Ethan's feelings for Kristina or hers for him were a distraction he didn't want to think about right now. There were bigger things going on that he needed to think clearly for.

Chapter 11

Sonny's home

Max walks in and announces Johnny. Sonny is sitting behind his desk in the living room. "Let him in." was all he heard. He was NOT looking forward to this conversation, but he figured it'd be best to just meet it head on.

"We've got a problem." He started as he made his way to stand in front of Sonny's desk.

"What do you mean 'we'?" he narrowed his eyes at Johnny.

"Danny Santo was spotted back in town 2 nights ago and my sources are telling me that he came trying to recruit the Cruz brothers to go up against us. I'm hearing he was turned down."

The information only took ½ a second to process. "Where's Kristina?"

"She's in class right now and then heading to Crimson for work, but I've got one guard with her and another following them at a short distance."

Sonny seemed a little more composed then he has been towards him in a while. He was absorbing information and you could see wheels forming in his head.

"Max, call Jason and get him over here now."

"Yes Boss." Max left the room to make the call.

Sonny came around from behind his desk and walked over to the bar. "Do you want a drink while we wait John?"

Johnny was very confused with Sonny's calmness. "No, I'm good." He was highly on guard now.

Sonny made his drink and went to sit on the couch. He took a sip and then spoke. "Why don't you have a seat Johnny, because, you know, I think we are going to be here a little while."

Johnny sat on the chair to the side of Sonny. He was well aware that this calm demeanor was not going to last long.

"You know John, I know my daughter likes you, and, I also know that this is not a one sided crush on her part. I can see it in your face. You know, I don't like it. I'm never going to like it. But, uh, you know, Kristina isn't a kid anymore, and you know I would die before I let anyone hurt a hair on her head, whether she forgave me or not. It's better that she hate me forever than have her beaten again, killed, or anything else."

"Sonny, I…" Johnny began to say.

"Let me finish." Sonny put his hand up to stop him. "I have hated you for a very long time. I don't see that changing anytime soon. I do respect the fact that you loved your sister, and I am grateful to you for saving my daughter that last time. I also know that it was difficult for you to come to me to help you go against Danny Santo, and you know, I know you didn't have to do that. You could have tried to take care of it on your own and not say a word to me about it, but you didn't." He paused to take another drink from his glass. "I still don't want you seeing my daughter. I'm not going to change my mind about that John. This is not the life I want for her."

"Look Sonny, with all due respect as Kristina's father, I want you to understand that I know where you're coming from and to be honest I think she deserves better too, which I've told her. Thing of it is though, she put me in my place very quickly with the answer that regardless of who she was with she would always be in danger because of who she was on her own. Your daughter. She is the one that made me think of the fact that if she had you on one side and me on the other, that no one would dare touch her. That's what I'm trying to accomplish here. I am never going to like you either, too much has happened between us. But, if I can use you to help me send a message to any and every one out there that it would be beyond a death wish to go near this girl then that's what I want to do. I would kill and die to protect her from any harm. Emotional and physical, on that, you have my word."

"I appreciate that and I really want you to hear me when I say that I understand the idea behind what you're saying. You see I married the daughter of a very powerful man in this business and then I saw her blown up in a bomb meant for me." He paused at this memory also reliving the memory of nearly seeing Kristina suffer the same fate at his own hand. "I will never make a mistake like that again. On that you will have my word. I'm not going to step in and try and kill you John, really because I'm not going to chance Kristina getting caught in the crossfire but also because you haven't given me a reason to with the truce between us working. BUT, I will not support the choice that Kristina is making by being with you."

Eyeing the man in front of him that he has spent years despising, he wasn't sure why now he sees him as more than just the rotten bastard that drove his sister crazy. He's seeing him as the man that gave life to Kristina. "I'm never going to be someone that will sing your praises either Sonny so I guess it's just going to have to be what it is and we'll have to let Kristina decide for herself. But in this situation that we are in here and now, or any other that may threaten Kristina, you have my word that I will always stand united with you whether Kristina and I are together or apart, I care about her."

Crimson

"No, Ms. Howard selected the red Marchesa not the red De La Renta and she is not pleased and wants it fixed yesterday, am I making this clear enough for you?" Kristina snapped to the person on the phone. "Good." She hung up exasperated.

"Kristina."

She turned around to see Ethan standing to her side. He had his hands in his pockets and looked more disheveled than she's ever seen him. She locked eyes with him but quickly looked back at her desk. She was still mortified that he saw her the way he did.

"Can we talk for a minute?" he asked hopeful.

"I uh, really can't right now Ethan, I'm swamped." She said digging through papers.

"Look, it's really important." He waited for a second. "Please Kristina?"

Ugh. It was like a knife in her gut to hear him say please.

She stopped shuffling her papers and looked at him. Their eyes locked and he had this uncanny way of breaking through every wall or façade she ever had up and always made her feel like he could read her mind. That is probably why she was always so blunt with him and didn't bother to hide anything or be coy. She felt like he would always know how she felt anyway so why bother.

She let out a sigh. "Ok, look, we have just a minute though before Kate gets back. Here.." she got up and opened the door to Kate's office. "Let's talk in here." Ethan walked in followed by Kristina who gave Chris a look that said 'it's just Ethan' before closing the door behind her.

"Ok Ethan, what's going…" she stopped mid sentence caught off guard because Ethan was right in front of her clasping her hand in his.

"I can't play this game anymore. Kristina, I'm sorry, I screwed all of this up from the beginning. You were right, I've felt more for you than just friendship, I just resisted it because I thought it was the right thing to do. I thought that you should go off to college and meet some Ivy Leaguer from a good family, but I was an idiot and I didn't realize that as each day went by I was falling more and more in love with you." He stepped closer to her. "I'm so sorry and I know my timing sucks. I just can't go another minute not being honest with you. I love you Kristina. I know you are with Johnny now and it's driving me crazy to know that his arms are around you and not mine. I love you." His heart was in his throat. He's never laid everything out there before for someone to stomp on and it felt like he was free falling out of a plane without a parachute.

Kristina's mind was reeling. It was too fast. What did he just say? He loved her. Did he say that? Oh my god…what? Now? What? Now?

"You…you…love me?" she asked shocked.

Ethan put his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up. "I love you Kristina Corinthos Davis." He moved slowly down to meet her lips with his. He gently grazed her lips and before their lips pushed together he felt a sharp slap against his cheek!

"How dare you?" her eyes were burning with anger and glazing over with unshed tears. "Why are you telling me this now? Is this because I'm with Johnny? What is it Ethan, you only want me when someone else does?"

"No, Kristina, it's not like that. I'm sorry, I know I screwed this up, and this is all my fault, but I've loved you for a long time I just couldn't let myself actually feel it!"

"So why now? Why can you feel it now? Don't lie to me Ethan! I have asked you over and over to admit your feelings for me and you kept denying it, and denying it! Do you know what that was like for me? How I felt like less than nothing to you!"

"I didn't mean to make you feel that way. I really, truly, didn't, I'm so sorry. All I can say is that you were right. You've been right all along. I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I see the right thing is to just be honest with you."

"Don't give me that! The only thing that is different is that now Johnny is in the picture. Is this some macho one upmanship and I'm the trophy?"

"No, it's not like that Kristina, you have to listen to what I'm telling you!" Ethan didn't know how this got so messed up. He didn't have a plan but he knew he just had to admit his feelings to her.

"I don't have to do anything!" she turned her back and walked over to Kate's desk steadying herself by leaning on it and allowing tears to escape her eyes. She whipped back around to face Ethan. Her falling tears broke his heart. He never meant it to go this way. "You know, I'm seeing it now, you caught me in Johnny's t-shirt and then again last night practically naked and both times is when you decide to suddenly show interest in me!"

"Don't do that Kristina! This has nothing to do with Johnny. To hell with Johnny! This is about me and you. I've been struggling with this for months now."

"Oh, you've been 'struggling'? I'm so sorry Ethan that you're love for me is SO difficult to deal with, but you know, I think I'm up to speed now, see, it's when you get jealous or see me naked that you decide you have feelings for me, so here…"she tore at her blouse ripping it off and throwing it at Ethan leaving her standing there exposed in her bra. "Is this all that you 'love' about me? Is this the only time you have feelings of 'love' for me?" she yelled.

This was NOT going well. Ethan scrambled to grab Kristina's blouse off the floor. "Kristina, I don't care if you were covered from head to toe in wool or standing there naked in front of me now. It's your smile, and laugh, and the way you see me for someone better than I see myself, and the way sip your coffee and then spin the cup around. It's just you. That's the god's honest truth! The only thing I'm grateful to Johnny for is making me realize what an idiot I've been. Please…" he walked over holding her shirt up to cover her with but she put both her hands up and pushed him back with all the force that her small frame could.

"No!" she screamed and fell backwards losing her balance and falling out of one of her heels as she stumbled backwards falling on the floor and knocking over a vase in the process.

Chris could hear voices being raised but he knew Ethan was a friend of Kristina's so didn't think anything of it other than they must be arguing. He couldn't make out what the argument was about but also knew that his job wasn't to eavesdrop like a schoolgirl, it was to guard.

Johnny had gotten off the elevator at Crimson. He got the details worked out with Sonny so he wanted to surprise Kristina with dinner at the Metro Court and maybe a ride on his boat where they could get away from everything and everyone for a while. Chris was standing guard next to the elevator to be the first point of contact for anyone getting off. "Hey Chris."

"Sir."

"How's…" he was about to make a cordial greeting when Kristina's scream "No!" could be heard from the office.

They both ran to the office doors and Johnny busted through them first not even bothering to turn the knob. The scene in front of him he would never have believed if he wasn't seeing it. Kristina was on the floor with broken glass around her and her shirt in Ethan's hands as he stood directly over her tear stained form. This could NOT be happening.

"What the hell?" left his mouth before instinct just took over and he punched Ethan so hard that he flew over Kate's desk upon impact of Johnny's fist with his jaw.

Johnny ran over to Kristina and Chris went to Ethan and pinned him to the ground.

"Kristina, are you ok?" Johnny took his coat off and covered Kristina with it.

In a state of shock all Kristina could do was shift her head back and forth between Ethan and Johnny trying to focus on what just happened. "I…I…I'm okay Johnny." She finally got out. "It's…it's not what you think. Ethan didn't hurt me. Not the way it looks. Just let him go please. I just…I just want to go home."

Staring daggers at Ethan he was glad Kristina was ok but _something_ happened here and Ethan caused it so he was anything but happy.

"Get off me!" Ethan yelled recovering from Johnny's blow and trying to shove the bodyguard off of him.

"Johnny please. I just want to go." She pleaded with him with tears still falling from her saddened eyes.

"Let him go." Was all he said and Chris complied. Ethan and Johnny just glared at one another, and without saying a word they both knew there was a line being drawn now. Johnny could see Ethan wanted Kristina and he wasn't hiding it anymore. Ethan broke his glare as Kristina finally turned around and looked at him. The sadness in her eyes was not what he wanted.

"Kristina, I'm sorry, please listen…" Ethan pleaded.

"No, Ethan, please just leave me alone. I…I don't have anything else to say to you right now." She said sadly almost defeated, like she was too tired to even raise her voice again.

"Ok. But when you let my words sink in, and you think with your heart like you always do, you'll know that my feelings are real and true and that you have been right all along. I love you, and I'm not going to run from it anymore. It's my turn to make you see we belong together."

It almost felt like someone put a cigar out on his chest. The burning of anger on his skin turning his whole body hot. It was all Johnny could do to contain himself from hitting Ethan again in that moment.

"Get out." He said firmly through clenched teeth to his former friend.

"I'm leaving John, but just know, that I'm not going anywhere." Ethan walked out determined to not give up on Kristina.

Later that night at Johnny's penthouse

John brought Kristina home. She didn't say anything to him about what happened and he didn't want to push her. He brought her home and she took a hot shower and crawled into bed. That was 4 hours ago. John didn't like feeling helpless. He felt like he should do something. The only thing he did was yell at Chris for allowing an argument between Ethan and Kristina to continue without stepping in. He apologized profusely but could only offer the defense that Ethan has always been a trusted ally of Johnny's. He made it clear that that was in fact no longer the case. He has been sitting on the couch nursing a drink for the last hour and a half. He was worried about Danny Santo on one hand and then on the other he was worried about losing Kristina to Ethan. In the short amount of time that she has been with him he's come to realize how much happier he is with her around. She makes him laugh and smile more than he has in years. She brings out a playful side of him that he didn't even know existed. I mean, here he was sitting in his penthouse with diet coke and soy milk in his fridge, and Crimson, People, Cosmo, and Vanity Fair on his coffee table. He had a dog sleeping in his bed and chew toys all over the floor. There were hairclips and creams and cleansers all over his bathroom and he couldn't even find his razor this morning, but the thought of any of these things going away made him feel empty.

Upstairs

Kristina just wanted to curl up in a ball and forget this day even happened. Why did Ethan have to come in and ruin her world now, just now when she was just getting comfortable with Johnny and she was happier than she's been in a long time. Johnny understood her. But she used to think Ethan did too. She could be herself with Johnny. She could be herself with Ethan too. Johnny treated her like an adult. Ethan treated her like a kid, but his smile still had a way of melting her heart. Johnny has shown her what it feels like to be treated like a woman. But this relationship is what she always wanted with Ethan and a part of her still wondered what it would feel like to be with him the way she was with Johnny. Yet when she's been with Johnny the passion she has felt for him is like nothing she's felt before. This was impossible! Why did Ethan have to do this to her now? Was it really just because he was jealous of her relationship with Johnny? How come he only decided he loved her after seeing her with Johnny? Can she really trust he feels what he says he does? Does she even care or should this really be about how she herself feels? She was drowning in questions and wanted to scream.

She looked around the room. She had made herself comfortable in Johnny's bedroom. Her things hung in the closet and her magazines and books were on the nightstand. Grumpy was sound asleep at the foot of the bed. A picture of Dante, Michael, Morgan, Molly, and herself was in a frame on the dresser, next to another one of she, Sam, and Molly. Johnny had a picture of himself and Claudia as kids on there too so Kristina thought that would be the place to put hers when she brought them over with her things. When she put them up she wondered what it would be like for a split second if she and Johnny were a family in their own respect. She was nowhere near ready for that but for a split second the thought did flash in her mind. How could she be having all these conflicting thoughts laying in Johnny's bed, in his house, with him downstairs? This wasn't fair to him.

Her thoughts were interrupted by music. She could hear Johnny's piano being played. She laid in bed and listened. For a few moments her mind was clear and she just took solace in the melody. It was sad, yet beautiful at the same time.

Downstairs

Johnny couldn't drown in his thoughts any longer so he took to the piano and began to play and get lost in the music. He played and played going from one song to the next fluidly. He wasn't sure how long he had been playing when he saw Kristina's small frame at the bottom of the stair case. She looked even smaller than usual in her loose fitting sweat pants and PCU sweatshirt.

"That was beautiful." she looked directly at him and offered a small smile.

"Thanks. I'm sorry if I disturbed you. I just, I don't know, sometimes when I can't think anymore I play because I can get lost in the music and refocus again."

"You didn't disturb me. It kind of refocused me too I guess." She walked over and sat next to him at the piano.

He reached out and held her hand. They sat there in silence together for a moment, neither really knowing or wanting to start this conversation. Both of them knowing though, that it had to be done.

"Do you…do you love him back?" Johnny finally asked quietly.

She contemplated before answering for a moment trying to gather the right words. "I've believed I've been in love with Ethan for the last year and a half, but now that I've been with you, this feels so different. You've shown me what it's like to have someone that isn't afraid to show their affection for me. You aren't embarrassed to have me on your arm, and even though I know I'm younger and inexperienced, you treat me like an equal. I love being with you."

"So, you're…confused?" he asked trying to see if he found the right word.

"I don't know. See, the thing is I'm not confused about how I feel about you. Not at all. I am now confused though about how I feel about him."

Johnny nodded, acknowledging what Kristina just said and trying to absorb her words. It hurt a little, but he was expecting it. She's very young and she should take her time to decide how she feels. He didn't want to pressure her into anything.

"Well, maybe you should spend some time and try to figure it out. The last thing I want to do is pressure you into anything that you aren't ready for or that you don't really want."

"Please don't think that I don't want to be with you. You've made me happier the last few weeks than I have been in my entire life."

"I've been pretty happy too." He laughs. "I have to tell you that I find myself thinking about you all the time, and I love tripping over your shoes in the bedroom, and not being able to find my razor in the bathroom."

"It's in the shower." She smiled up at him. "I borrowed it. Sorry."

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I want to know that you want to be here, as much as I want you here, but more than anything else in this world I just want you to be safe, and to be happy."

A lone tear fell down her cheek and Johnny wiped it away.

Chapter 12

Sonny's

Max opened the door to the living room.

"Boss!" he yelled and waited a moment.

Sonny came down the stairs closing his robe. "Max, what is it?"

"It's me Dad." Kristina came in behind Max still in her PCU sweats, her book bag on her arm, and Grumpy on his leash.

"Kristina? What is it sweetheart? Are you ok? Why are you here so late?"

Johnny came in behind her carrying her bags.

"Dad, Johnny and I talked about it and because of everything going on right now I really didn't think I should bring any danger to Mom and Molly so if it's ok can I stay with you?"

Sonny looked from Kristina to Johnny wondering what was going on but not really wanting to lose the opportunity to get Kristina out of Johnny's penthouse.

"Sure honey. You never have to ask that. I'd love to have you here. Max, take Kristina's things to the bedroom right next to mine."

Johnny handed the bags to Max.

"What about…" Max used his chin to point towards Grumpy.

"I'll take him up Max. It takes Grumpy a while to get used to new people." Max nodded and went up the stairs.

Johnny cleared his throat and decided to make his exit. "Look, uh, I'm going to let you guys talk and let you get settled in." he held her gaze for what seemed like an eternity to Sonny. He finally walked over to her and kissed her cheek, not wanting to let her go but knowing that he had to. He then bent down and scratched Grumpy behind his ears. "Ok boy, you take good care of her you hear." Grumpy licked his cheek before Johnny had a chance to move. Kristina laughed even though tears were threatening to fall from her eyes. Johnny laughed too. "Well, I guess that completes the night." He smiled back at her then looked at Sonny.

"I can send my guard over in the morning. He's used to Kristina's schedule and …"

"It's ok John, I will take care of Kristina." Sonny cut him off.

Johnny knew that was coming but thought he'd make the offer. "Ok, but just so we're clear Sonny, I'm still on board with what we talked about."

Sonny nodded his acknowledgement to Johnny, and with that he shared one more look with Kristina and left.

She stood there looking after him now letting silent tears fall down her cheeks. Sonny placed a hand on her back.

"Kristina honey, do you…" he started but she just turned around and wrapped her arms around him to cry. It caught him by surprise. Kristina spent so much time pushing him away that he seldom had the opportunity to comfort her for anything. He held onto her and stroked her hair as she cried. After a minute or so she slowly pulled back and sat down on the couch trying to regain her composure. Sonny sat down next to her.

"Sweety, do you want to tell me what happened?" he prodded gently.

Kristina shook her head. "It's alright Dad, I know you hate Johnny and you're only tolerating him to keep me protected. I know you don't want to hear my problems."

"Hey, no, no, first and foremost I'm your Dad. I'm here to listen to anything you have to tell me. I may not always give the best advice to you but you know, you are my only daughter and you didn't come with instructions." He tried to get a smile out of her. "I want to help if I can."

She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Have you ever been in love with two people at the same time?"

He wasn't ready for that one either. He knew he had to choose his words more carefully than he normally would but also Kristina was waiting for an answer and he only had so much of an opportunity with her. "Yeah honey I have. You know the thing is though now that I think back on it, I think, or better I know, that you can love a lot of people in your life, but you can only be _in_ love with one at a time. But I think that is what confuses people sometimes is the feeling of love vs the feeling of being _in _love."

Kristina contemplated this for a moment. So, who was she _in _love with? Was it Ethan or was it Johnny?

Sonny could see the confusion in his daughter's expression and he wished he could make this better for her. He knew that Johnny had to be one of the people but the other he wasn't sure. The only other person he could think of was maybe Ethan. Neither would be his first choice for his daughter so for him this was a no win situation. The only thing he could take comfort in was that Kristina was 19 years old and she would most likely fall _in_ love many more times in her life.

Grumpy took this moment of silence to make his presence known by putting his head in the lap of his beloved owner. Kristina softly pet the top of his head and Sonny smiled at the sight.

"You know, one more thing I've learned over the years is not to overthink love. Somehow your heart has a way of letting you know what is right for you, you just have to give it a little time, and you know what I've found that helps is a little food too." He smiled his full dimpled grin at his daughter. "You hungry?"

She had to admit she was a little hungry. She was too busy for lunch and then she and Johnny talked right through the dinner hours deciding that she should have some space and time to think things through. "Yeah, a little."

Sonny stood up and offered his hand to his daughter. She took it and they walked into the kitchen to feast as cooking was the one thing they always agreed on.

Kristina had been at Sonny's for a week. During that time she went to school, work, and then home. Milo was guarding her and they had no instances of danger from Danny Santo. Sonny was trying to locate Danny so the threat to Kristina could be eliminated but he seems to have disappeared, which was not a good sign.

In the meantime Sonny was thoroughly enjoying having his daughter in his home. She was sad and not her usual spunky, stubborn self but they would cook dinner together every night and she'd show him some of the different things from the courses she was taking this semester. The information was amazing and Sonny had a new sense of pride for how intelligent a young lady his daughter was. He knew he couldn't take a lot of credit for that and it also made him more grateful to Alexis for the wonderful job she did raising her. He felt like for the first time he was really getting to know who his daughter was as a person. They decided to take the trip they had put off last year and go to Manhattan this weekend to see a play and do some shopping. Kristina was upstairs getting her things together because they were leaving in the morning and Sonny was in the kitchen finishing dinner when Grumpy's bark interrupted his concentration. He liked that dog but him barking every time Max came in was getting old.

"Boss!"

He also really didn't like saying his name. "Grumpy! Down." He said firmly. The dog obliged and went to just a low growl as he returned to his spot on the couch. Another thing Sonny wasn't fond of but that dog did save Kristina so he tolerated a few of the dogs' indulgences.

"That dog hates me." Max complained as he put the floral arrangement he carried in on the desk.

"What's this?" he asked.

"They just arrived for Kristina. There's a card."

"Which I will read thanks Max." Kristina said as she came down the stairs. "I'm sorry Grumpy keeps barking at you but you know you could try and play with him or something. He can tell that you don't like him either."

"As a kid I was chased 2 blocks by a very aggressive schnauzer that let's just say bit me where it hurt to sit for a week, and since then I am _not _a dog person." Max tried to offer his explanation.

Kristina just smiled and gave a little laugh. "And how old are you now Max?" she teased as he went back to his post and she went to look at her flowers. They were beautiful dark purple tulips. Her favorite. She opened the card.

'Please meet me at Kelly's tonight. 9:30pm. I need to see you. Love, Ethan.'

Ethan had texted her a couple of times in the last week and she just responded that she wasn't ready to talk to him yet. Johnny had not texted or called but he left the ball in her court to give her whatever time she needed to decide how she felt, so she really didn't anticipate hearing from him. She knew she couldn't avoid facing Ethan forever and that she needed to in order to allow herself to figure things out. She had just taken refuge in her fathers' home and wanted to get lost in just being his daughter for now. It had actually worked out nicely. He had spent the last week making her breakfasts, being home when she got off work or picking her up himself. They'd talk over dinner about the things she was studying or how the day went at Crimson. She got to learn more about the things he liked growing up as a kid, like baseball, and now, like speedboats. She learned so much more about the grandmother she did not have the opportunity to meet. She was really enjoying just getting to know her dad better. It was nice. The ache in her heart has dulled but it hasn't gone away by any means. She misses Johnny. She's confused about Ethan. She took a deep breath and sighed as she folded the card up. I guess it's time to figure things out. If nothing else, at least she was leaving town for the weekend and it would give her another break to think if she needed to.

"Are you ok sweety?" Sonny asked, not wanting to pry as to which one of her suitors sent her flowers but still curious.

"Yeah, I'm fine Dad. The flowers are from Ethan. He wants to talk." Time used to be that she wouldn't offer up that information to her father but he has been so supportive and non-judgmental the last week that her comfort level with him is at an all time high.

"Do you feel like talking to him yet?" He sat down on the couch waiting for her response.

"I don't think I can hide any longer. I think it's time I face this head on and not be afraid to find out how I feel anymore."

"You're stronger than you give yourself credit for being sometimes sweetheart. Just remember that good or bad, all we can do is be honest with ourselves, and keep moving forward with what in the long run will make us happy. But just also, you know, remember that your Dad is always going to be in your corner loving you too." She moved in and gave her dad a bigger hug then he could ever remember getting from her. Sonny was realizing that maybe it wasn't about his kids listening to him all the time as much as it was about being there for them when things didn't work out so that they'd also want to share it with you when things did.

Kelly's

Kristina arrived at Kelly's to see Ethan sitting out front at a table. Kelly's was closed so this made sense. She asked Milo to keep a little distance so that they could have some privacy. He agreed.

As she walked up to the table Ethan stood up. He was dressed quite differently than normal. He had on a crisp white shirt and dark dress pants. She had a memory flash of telling him she was going to marry him.

"Hi." Was all she could manage to get out.

"Hi. Thank you for meeting me."

"I…I guess I figured it was time." She sat down at the table. "Ethan, I'm sorry I reacted the way I did when you told me…" she paused.

"That I love you." He finished the sentence for her.

"Yeah." They held each other's gaze for a moment. "I…I just was really overwhelmed and caught off guard. Anyway, I'm really sorry for what happened with Johnny and Chris."

"Kristina, I don't care about that. I don't care about them. As long as you're ok I'd take a million punches to the face." He gave her his signature grin that always made her heart skip a beat. She returned his smile.

"Look, given that things didn't go so well last time I wanted to take this moment to let you know that I have done nothing but think about you this last week. I know you probably need time to think about everything but I don't want you to keep thinking without really hearing me out."

Kristina nodded ok to him, ready to listen.

"I didn't decide that I'm in love with you just because you started a relationship with Johnny. I've loved you for a long time. I take full responsibility for things between us getting so off track and messed up. I wouldn't admit how I felt about you because I thought you deserved better. You deserved someone that had a great future in front of them, a clean cut Ivy Leaguer that could give you the world. Hell, I still think that you deserve that. The only thing that's changed is that I've realized I can't let you go. I want to be the person that gives you the world. I know I have a long road ahead of me but I want to try. I'm so sorry for any pain I've put you through being the stupid idiot that I've been, and I hope you can please forgive me."

Kristina felt like she couldn't breathe. She had waited so long for Ethan to say these things to her. A tear escaped the side of her eye and fell down her cheek.

"No, no, no. No crying tonight Love." He reached over the table and brushed the tear from her cheek. "This is a night for happiness, not confusion or sadness, or any type of melancholy." He stood up and held his hand out for her to take. She looked at it for a second and then put her hand in his and allowed him to gently pull her up. He walked them over to the front door and opened it.

"But, I thought Kelly's was closed?" she asked confused.

"Well it is Love, just not to us tonight." He escorted Kristina in and she saw only one table set up in the middle of the floor with pink rose petals strewn over the top of the black tablecloth and all over the floor, a floating candle was in a crystal bowl in the middle. There were varied size candles lit and glowing all around the restaurant. It was so soft, beautiful, and romantic. Ethan pushed the button on the jukebox.

_You've been on my mind, I grow fonder every day, Lose myself in time, Just thinking of your face._

_God only knows why it's taken me so long to let my doubts go, you're the only one that I want,_

Ethan walked over to the counter and reached behind it. He turned around and walked over to Kristina and handed her a small, long black box. Neither one of them saying a word to the other, just listening to the music and getting lost in each other's eyes.

_I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before, every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all, you'll never know if you never try, to forget your past and simply be mine._

Kristina opened the box and looked back up at Ethan. He reached in and pulled out a silver charm bracelet with a rose gold heart charm on it. He reached out and took her hand clasping the bracelet around her wrist. "You have my heart Kristina Davis."

_I dare you to let me be your, your one and only, I promise I'm worthy, to hold in your arms, so come on and give me the chance, to prove I am the one who can walk that mile, until the end starts._

He continued holding her hand and after a moment drew her closer to him and this time was able to finish the kiss he attempted last week. Their lips came together and the kiss that Kristina had been waiting almost 2 years for was finally happening.

Outside

"Look, I don't like the fact that this guys has just dropped off the face of the earth. Find him, and find him now. I'm done playing this hide and seek game!" Johnny shoved his phone back in his pocket and was on his way home cutting past Kelly's. All of a sudden he heard music and turned towards the restaurant. He caught a glimpse inside of Ethan and in his arms was Kristina. They were kissing. It was like a punch in the gut. He resisted the urge to storm in there and pull Ethan off of Kristina. If this was what and who she wanted then he wasn't going to stop her. He looked away and kept walking home.

Inside

Kristina and Ethan slowly pulled apart and both opened their eyes.

"Ethan, I, I don't know how to say what I'm feeling right now."

"It's alright Krissy, I'm willing to wait for you this time."

"Ethan, it's just, I don't think that you have to. I've waited so long to hear everything that you just said to me. It's everything that I used to dream of. The thing is though, it's not what I want anymore. I'm sorry. I've loved you for a long time, and I know that I still do, but I don't think I'm _in_ love with you anymore." She took his hand in hers and held it. "I'm not angry with you. I'm not confused anymore. Everything is very clear now. The feelings that I had I know were real, but I think I made peace with the fact that it wasn't going to happen, and then Johnny happened and I think I've realized what it is now to love and I think _be _loved back, at the same time. He's been so good to me Ethan, and he's been everything I wanted you to be, and now I've gone through things with him that make me realize I don't like him because he was giving me what you weren't, I like him because he's him. It's him Ethan, and I'm so sorry because no matter how maybe this ended up I wouldn't want to hurt you for the world. Everything else aside you've been a wonderful friend to me and I do love you as my friend."

Ethan stepped back still holding Kristina's hand and maintaining their gaze. He took a deep breath and let it out. He waited and searched Kristina's eyes for any sign of confusion or hope that maybe this was not the way it should be, but he couldn't see any. He had no other option but to accept her choice. He brought her hand up to his face and kissed it.

"Well Love, this was my fault, so I have no one else to blame but myself. I let you slip right through my fingers when I was lucky enough to be your choice for so long." He smiled sadly at her.

"I'm sorry Ethan." Was all she could think of to say. She reached down to take off the bracelet but he held his hand out and placed it on top of hers.

"No. You keep it. It still only belongs to you."

Kristina returned the hurt but accepting smile he offered her. She reached over and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her and returned it. "I do love you Ethan."

"I love you too Kristina."

Outside

Milo watched as Johnny looked inside of Kelly's and then walked away. He could see that Ethan and Kristina were huddled together close and could only imagine that whatever Johnny saw did not make him happy. The look on his face made him almost feel sorry for him. The next thing Milo knew he felt an excruciating pain in his chest and fell to the ground. On instinct he didn't move rather to play dead and listen then fight and have someone finish the job. He felt himself being dragged and dumped in the bushes. The pain was unbearable. He heard the voices say, "Keep your back turned so she thinks you're him, then open the door and shove her in as fast as you can. I'll do the rest inside and we'll meet up with Danny at the house."

He had to do something but he knew at best he could reach his gun and take out maybe one but probably not both and then Kristina also is too vulnerable. He slowly reached for his phone in his pocket. Max, Sonny, and Jason were all a good 10-15 minutes away and Kristina is a sitting duck when she walks out of Kelly's which could be any second or an hour from now. He felt like he was going to pass out, he opened his text message and quickly wrote 'Kristina Danger Kelly's FAST' and hit send, he paused for a second of relief then slowly tried to reach for his gun without making too much noise.

Inside Kelly's

"I better get going. I think I need go talk to Johnny too." Kristina saw Ethan's jaw clench. "Please don't hate Johnny. You two were great friends before all of this and you're both the same people that you were a couple months ago. I really don't want to be the reason that you two fight."

"Kristina, I can promise you that I will always be your friend and I will always be here for you if you need anything, but I can't promise that Johnny and I are going to ever be friends again. My head knows he didn't go after you on purpose that everything that happened between you two just happened, but there is a lot of hurt and anger going around right now and I think we just need to let it sit for a while."

Kristina nodded in understanding knowing this was the best she was going to get right now. "I understand." She walked back towards him and hugged him. "Thank you for staying my friend."

"I'm just sorry I lost my chance to be more." He hugged her back.

She walked out of Kelly's and Ethan turned around and went to blow out the candles on the counter top. This night didn't go as he planned but at least they are still friends and who knows what the future holds for them. One thing is for sure, if he's ever given the opportunity again he isn't going to let it go by trying to be noble. He shook his head at the thought.

Kristina tucked her hands in her coat pockets protecting them from the early winter chill as she walked back to the car and Milo waiting.

"Hey Milo I'm ready." She said walking up behind him just about 3 ft back.

"Kristina run!" she heard to her side and quickly saw Milo laying in the bushes with his gun drawn. She turned back to see the man in front of her pulling his gun up with one hand and reaching for her with the other. She turned to run but he grabbed her arm. She heard a gun go off and turned around to see the man falling backwards still holding onto her he took her down with him as blood flew from his chest. She screamed! Another man jumped out of the car and grabbed her by the neck holding her in front of him as a shield towards Milo.

Milo didn't dare fire and he had no more strength to focus his gun. He passed out and his face fell forward on the ground. Kristina struggled against the man as he clasped a hand over her mouth. She bit down hard on his fingers and he let out a yell but didn't let go. He spun her around and punched her hard in the face knocking her out.

Inside

As Ethan blew out the last candle a gunshot rang out! He spun around and realized 'Kristina'! He ran for the door and threw it open. He saw a man on the ground and another that had a hold of Kristina. He bolted for them and then saw him punch her!

"No!" he yelled as the man then threw her in the back of the car. He dove for him and rammed the man's back into the car. The man used his gun and hit Ethan on the back of the neck with it. He fell to his knees and threw a punch to the man's gut. The man doubled over but recovered more quickly than Ethan and punched him in the jaw, then kicked him causing Ethan to fall back. The man jumped in the car and started it as he heard shots. He could see someone running towards them and punched the gas and took off.

"No! Kristina's in the car!" Ethan yelled.

Panic came over Johnny. He read the text message Milo sent and hustled back over to Kelly's and saw Ethan fighting with someone but no sign of Kristina. Santo. It had to be Santo. Johnny quickly got on the phone as Ethan went to check on Milo.

"It's a black Bentley Mulsanne heading east license COR3! Find it, Find it NOW! You get every single person looking now, I will not lose that car! Kristina Corinthos was taken and is in it!" He hung up and dialed again. "Come on! Com…Sonny! Milo has been shot and Kristina was taken in your car by I'm guessing one of Santo's men. They were heading east on Melbourne. I've sent every man I have out to look." He waited. "Ok. I'll meet you there."

"Ethan, is Milo.." he started to say.

Ethan was just hanging up his phone. "He's alive. Breathing. I just called an ambulance." He pressed his hands over the wound. "I'm trying to keep pressure on it." He said trying to focus. "That bastard punched Kristina John, then threw her in the back seat."

Johnny was pacing and wanted to scream. "Look, we're going to find her ok. I've got to get to Jason's. Sonny said that the car has a GPS tracker on it as well as Kristina's cell phone. We're heading over to Jason's to have Spinelli track it."

"What the hell is going on out here?" Shawn heard the commotion from his room and came out to see what was going on.

"Here mate, trade me places! Keep pressure on the wound. The ambulance should be here in a second."

Shawn saw Milo on the ground and took Ethan's place. He looked over Milo for a moment. "It looks like the wound is low enough it may not have hit a major artery and there is an exit wound so that is good. Hold on man ok, no dying today."

"K-Kristina?" Milo sputtered regaining consciousness.

"We're going to get her back Milo." Johnny let him know. "I've got to go." He began to leave.

"J-John.."

"Johnny wait!" Shawn yelled to get Johnny to turn back around. "He's trying to say something."

Johnny knelt down next to Milo. "They..they..s-said, tak-taking her to Dan-Danny at a hou-house."

"Thanks Milo. You hang in there ok. We'll get her back." Johnny got up to leave again.

"I'm going with you." Ethan got up and shot Johnny a look that said 'no way in hell am I staying out of this'.

Jealous anger had no business in what was going on right now and Johnny knew that. The more people looking for Kristina the better and after all, Ethan was the one Kristina chose he thought. "Alright. Let's go."

Jason's

Johnny and Ethan arrived at the same time as Sonny and Max, and Jason opened the door for them all to come in. Spinelli was on the computer, Sam was pacing behind him and Jason already had an arsenal laid out that he was in the process of affixing to various areas of his body.

"Spinelli's located them about 15 miles out of town near Weston's Lake. We need to move fast because we're not sure if the plan is to move her again." Jason said matter of factly.

"One of my men spotted the car and followed it. I got a call that they haven't moved yet. It's a 2 story lakehouse with 3 entrances to it. Main front, main back, and upper deck patio doors. He said Kristina was carried in and appeared to still be unconscious." The worry was apparent in Johnny's face and tone.

"What do they want with her anyway? How did this happen?" Sam angrily asked the room.

"Danny Santo is trying to use her to get to me, only now he knows that he's messing with Sonny Corinthos' daughter, when before he didn't, so I can only assume he's trying to get a reaction from both of us." Johnny responded hating that any of this happened.

"What do you mean before?" Sam asked puzzled. "And what do you mean, 'to get to you'? What the hell are you doing with my sister?" Sam got in Johnny's face.

Johnny gave Jason a look that said 'this is your issue'.

"Sam, Sam," Jason reached to pull Sam back from Johnny. "Look I will explain this later but right now we have to move ok?"

"You knew something was going on between Johnny and my sister and you didn't tell me?" Sam shook her head then held her hand up pointedly at Jason. "This is NOT over."

"Alright, enough ok, every minute this bastard has Kristina we have no control over what he's doing to her!" Ethan broke in angry that they weren't moving towards getting her back yet.

Sonny's phone rang.

He pulled it out of his pocket and held his hand up to quiet the room.

"Corinthos."

"Dad."

"Kristina, honey are you…"

"Well Mr. Corinthos, I'm assuming I'm the one that needs no introduction now. You see I don't take to kindly to being pushed out of town and I've had a few weeks to think it over now and you see, I'm the one that feels disrespected. You know what man, you aren't dealing with some old school boss that does things by a set of rules. We're from the streets. We fight for what we have and we take what we want. So maybe you're asking yourself what I might want from you?"

"No, you know, not really. You see if you want something from me then you come to me, you don't kidnap my daughter and then hide behind her to get to me!" Sonny was trying to maintain his calm but wanting to goad him into coming after him and leaving Kristina alone.

"Oh, you see you don't get it Mr. Corinthos. I'm not hiding behind your daughter. You see, I have every intention of honoring your old school request and leaving Port Charles. But I also know both you and Johnny Zaccara have been looking for me without any luck, so I know that you know I can disappear and you'll never be able to find me again, but you see, before I do, I want to leave you both with a little something to remember me by." With that he hung up.

"Santo!" he clenched his teeth and would have thrown his phone if it wasn't his communication with Danny Santo. "Damnit!"

"What did he say?" Johnny asked.

"He said he wanted to leave us both with something to remember him by." He turned to Jason. "We need to get there fast. He also said he has every intention of leaving Port Charles."

"Ok, if you're not armed, get armed! Let's move." Jason barked. "Sam, please stay here with Spinelli."

"No, she's my sister!" Sam argued as everyone loaded up with multiple weapons.

"We don't know what we're walking into and if something happens we'll need someone outside to pick up where we leave off."

Sam didn't like what Jason was suggesting but silently agreed. She kissed him. "I love you."

"I love you too."

They all got into the elevator and on the way down both Sonny and Johnny's phones went off.

They each grabbed for them.

"It's a video message." Johnny said as he felt his heart take a nose dive into his stomach.

"Mine too." Sonny replied in a tone as cold as ice.

They both clicked to open the message.

Kristina was sitting on a chair in the middle of a room. She looked scared but angry at the same time. You could see her eye was already swollen and purple from being hit like Ethan said.

"So it's Kristina right?" you could hear Danny Santo's voice talking to her but she didn't answer him and just stared coldly at him. He must have been standing to the side of the camera phone because her gaze went in that direction.

"So, you're not going to talk to us huh?"

"I don't need to." She said coldly.

"Why's that?"

"When my father gets here he'll do all the talking for me. Because you see, you're not the first person to try to use me to make a point to my father. We've been through this before and it always ends the same way. With you dead." She said with her teeth clenched. Johnny could tell she was trying to put fear into them but really she was sick to her stomach with fear herself.

"You know, there are worse things than death."

"I'm sure you will find out." She chimed in before he could continue.

You could hear Danny laugh.

"Wow, you've got some attitude don't you?" but she didn't reply with anything but a cold stare. "I like attitude myself in a woman. Johnny Zaccara is one lucky man."

With the mention of his name Kristina's eyes widened and she realized this might be a video going out to Johnny too.

"Ahh, his name gets a reaction out of you huh? Should we put a show on for him?"

Johnny did not like the tone in his voice and he clenched his free fist as the elevator doors opened and they ran to separate cars. Ethan and Jason with him. Sonny, Max, and another guard in Sonny's car. Johnny threw the keys to Ethan as he continued watching the video.

"What you aren't going to say anything about Johnny?" he was baiting her.

"Why should I?" she responded regaining her façade. "Johnny and I broke up. You may get a reaction out of my dad but you're sadly mistaken if you think Johnny is going to care one way or another if you have me. But don't worry, you'll have plenty of fight from my dad's enforcer Jason Morgan or are you too stupid to know who he is too?"

There was silence as you could see Kristina's eyes burning holes into who we could only assume was Danny. Then a hand grabbed her face hard and she winced in pain but her eyes still held firm on his. "It's gonna' be fun breaking you." Was the last thing they heard before the video cut.

"Damn him! I swear I will rip him apart piece by piece when I get my hands on that son of a bitch!" He screamed as he began beating the car door to his right.

"Losing your cool isn't going to do Kristina any good. You have to keep it together." Ethan tried to calm Johnny down as he continued driving towards the location of the house.

"Why do you think she said that about you guys breaking up and you not caring?" Ethan asked.

Johnny took a deep breath. "I don't know. Maybe trying to distract him from that 'show' comment." God, he didn't want to think about anyone hurting Kristina or touching her against her will.

The House

Danny felt almost like he was in a staring contest with the girl in front of him. He kept baiting her but she wouldn't cry and wouldn't show her fear.

"You know, your dad isn't going to come barreling in here to save you. You might want to start being nicer to me." He sneered at her trying to make her squirm but she still wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Look, your snide comments aren't going to work ok! You think I can't see in your eyes what you want to do to me! You want to get back at my dad and you either want to beat me down, rape me, or both, so that he can watch and feel helpless."

"Hmm, that's definitely an idea." He smiled at her.

"Well, I hate to break it to you but my dad has already seen me beaten to a pulp. My dad nearly blew me up himself with a car bomb, and no I haven't been raped but you know what, I have been in love, so whatever you do to this body is just physical and I already know that I can heal from physical."

Her words sounded brave to Danny. But looking in her eyes he still knew she was scared. He needed her to look scared. He leaned in close to her and whispered, "Well, let's see how much 'physical' we can do."

Outside (About a mile away)

Both cars pulled over and Jason transferred from John's car to Sonny's, and Chris that had been the guard that spotted the car and followed it was leaving his car and transferring to John's. The plan was instead of coming in guns blazing where Kristina could get caught in a crossfire, they (Sonny/Jason) were going to draw their attention and fire out front while Johnny and Chris secured the back and Ethan was to go in and find Kristina and get her out safely through any means necessary. Ethan was armed but definitely the least experienced of the lot and accuracy was integral to end this as quick as possible. However his sleuthing and eluding skills were of the highest caliber.

Most likely their heavy hitters are going to be targeted on Jason, which will hopefully allow Johnny to take aim from behind. Sonny and Jason were going to pull up to the front door. Johnny, Ethan, and Chris are parking a safe distance back in the trees and walking in on foot so as to not be seen. Sonny is going to try to make his presence known early so they don't just shoot Kristina immediately upon seeing they've been caught, but hopefully Johnny, Ethan, and Chris will already be in place with a visual on her to keep her safe.

House

Johnny, Ethan, and Chris were outside the house trying to see Kristina inside. The upstairs had large picture windows and a set of glass doors that led out to the deck, which made it easy to see in upstairs, but the downstairs, not so much.

Inside

Danny had her by the arm and was dragging her upstairs. He threw her into a bedroom with a large picture window, doors that led outside, and a large bed. The other man inside looked like he just set up a camera and threw a rope at Danny for him to catch then the man left the room.

Ok Kristina, think fast. She said to herself. "Look, instead of you playing man why don't you actually act like one and fight me? I'm not even a hundred pounds big man! Do you think you really need that rope? Come on, toe to toe, fight me like a man!" It was all she could think of to stall. She knew her dad had to have something in the works to find her. He may not get here in time but she was not going to cower down and accept a beating or accept being violated by this pig. If she was going to go down it was going to be fighting. She prayed that he didn't send the video's he was making to Johnny. She didn't want him to feel guilty about her being in this situation, but part of her would give anything for him to bust in here right now and save her. She was scared but was trying very hard to not give Danny the satisfaction of seeing that she was.

"Well you know baby, I like a little fight in a woman so why don't we have at it if that's what you want." He smiled at her and went and turned on the video camera then started to walk towards her.

Outside

"Johnny, look." Chris pointed towards the window in the upstairs and they could see Kristina's petite frame come into view. She was backpedaling away from someone/thing. Then all of a sudden they saw a man charge towards her and grab her by her upper arms and throw her out of view.

No! Johnny and Ethan's minds were screaming at the same time. They had to get in there. Johnny lunged forward but Chris grabbed him.

"John, don't. If you go charging in there you could get her killed." Chris harshly reminded him trying to get him to focus.

"We have to get in there now!" Johnny pulled his arm away.

"I'll go. Call Sonny, tell him to move in now!" Ethan took off towards the tree next to the upstairs deck.

Johnny looked back up at the window but couldn't see anything. He was going out of his mind!

Inside

Danny threw Kristina down on the bed but she rolled off the other side and hit the floor. She quickly saw a glass vase on the bottom shelf of the nightstand and when Danny came after her she backed herself up against the nightstand. "I'm a little disappointed sweetheart, I thought you were going to give me some more fight." He reached down and grabbed a handful of her hair pulling her up. When he had her back up on her feet she hit him on the top of the head with the vase! He fell to his knees on the floor but it didn't knock him out. She quickly put every bit of force she had and kicked him in the head with her boot. He fell to the floor knocked unconscious.

Oh my god. He's out cold! Oh my god! Oh my god! She kept thinking to herself not believing what just happened. She quickly ran towards the doors that lead out to the deck and quietly opened them, continuing to look over her shoulder. She looked over the edge of the deck to see how high it was. Well, she could make the jump but she was pretty sure she'd break a leg in the process. She looked over and saw a tree nearby and ran over to it. This might work. She reached out and then suddenly her arm was grabbed from behind and twisted behind her back.

"Owww!" she yelled and Danny shoved her to the floor and climbed on top of her as she kicked and struggled underneath him.

"Get off of me!" she yelled as she freed her hands and gouged at his eyes. Suddenly the weight of him was off of her and she saw him being thrown head first into the railing by Ethan. Ethan rammed him three times and then held him up as he threw a punch so hard that it spun him completely around and then he slammed face first onto the floor.

"Ethan." The sight of Ethan made Kristina nearly collapse into sobs. She was so relieved to see him. He knelt down next to her and wrapped his arms around her which she returned and allowed herself to cry on his shoulder.

"It's ok Kristina. I'm here. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you." He was so glad to put his arms around her and see that he arrived in time, or hope he did anyway. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. He didn't…" and shook her head "didn't do anything to me, you got here in time." She almost death gripped him around his neck hugging him.

Johnny saw them embrace from his and Chris' spot. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw her in Ethan's arms. He wished he was holding her at that moment but at this point he was just glad Ethan had her in his arms and not Danny Santo. Then he saw Sonny's signal. He saw Ethan loading Kristina into the tree and then following behind her. He sent a quick text to Sonny letting him know her location. As soon as he hit send he heard Danny start yelling for his men. Ok, Plan B.

"Move!" he ordered Chris.

Men came running into the room weapons drawn and made their way to Danny out on the deck. Ethan and Kristina were pinned.

The men started to take aim and shots rang out! The first shots though were Johnny and Chris. They hit two men immediately and sent the rest running back in for cover. Sonny's car was heard screeching to halt in the front and then gunfire was heard from that direction.

"Kristina, jump!" Ethan yelled. They were still a little high but it was better than the alternative. She jumped and landed on her feet but the momentum still sent her down on her knees with a hard blow to her kneecaps.

"Owww!" she yelled out in pain.

Two men came running from the downstairs back entrance.

"No!" Johnny came running from the bushes firing hitting one while Chris hit the other.

Kristina looked up and saw him running towards her. "Johnny!" she yelled as he fell to the ground by her side.

"Are you ok? Can you walk?"

She tried to focus on what he was asking her. "I…I.." she tried to stand but couldn't "no..I'm sorry." She winced in pain from the attempt.

He shoved his gun behind his back in his waistband and scooped her up in his arms when a shot rang out and Chris fell to the ground next to them. One of the men they hit previously still had his weapon in his hand and had taken aim from a ground position on his stomach. Johnny turned his back on the man and threw himself and Kristina on the ground with his body covering her. The moved his aim from Chris to Johnny. Ethan felt like he was watching this transpire in slow motion. He didn't have time to pull his weapon, he just reacted and leapt on top of Johnny.

Kristina felt the wind get knocked out of her and heard a shot ring out. Then another and another as she heard her fathers' voice yelling her name. Johnny. She felt Johnny's arms remove themselves from her body and he rolled her over. "Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah, what…" she began to say and then heard coughing and Jason yelling for Max to bring the car around. She looked over and saw Ethan coughing up blood. "No!" she yelled and crawled over to him putting her hands on either side of his face. She began crying uncontrollably. "Ethan please, please, you have to be ok! Please don't…" she couldn't finish her sentence.

Ethan turned from Jason who applying pressure to the wound on the side of his stomach to look at Kristina's face. "L-Love, I…I" he was struggling to talk as coughs overtook him again.

"Shhh…don't talk okay. We're going to get you to a doctor and you're going to be fine. You hear me, you're going to be fine." She smiled through her tears and brushed his hair off his forehead.

Johnny's heart broke seeing the closeness and bond between Kristina and Ethan. He loved her and he knew he had lost her. He still wanted her to be happy though and didn't want to see her lose Ethan. Jason and Max lifted Ethan into the car and Johnny picked Kristina up and loaded her in with him.

Johnny volunteered to stay behind with Max and handle the situation. More men from both Corinthos and Zaccara organizations were pulling up just in case. Johnny called Mac and stayed behind to answer questions. He only hoped and prayed that Ethan made it. He saved his life. He saved Kristina. They deserved to be together.

Chapter 13

General Hospital

Kristina was resting in her room with Sonny at her bedside. Ethan had been in surgery for over three hours. Matt was working on him. She had never prayed harder in her life for anything. Ethan had to be okay.

"Dad, can you please go and check on Ethan again for me?" Kristina pleaded with her father for what had to be the dozenth time. He had already tried to explain to her that he's already made arrangements to ensure that Kristina be notified as soon as they come out of surgery but he knew that it made her feel better to be doing something rather than just lying in bed. He was about to get up when Matt came in.

"Kristina."

Kristina scoot up on her pillow. "Dr. Hunter, is Ethan okay?"

"He lost a lot of blood en route to the hospital and we had to remove his spleen but we have every reason to hope that he will make a full recovery. He's very weak and won't wake up from surgery for a while."

Kristina let out the breath she had been holding and allowed tears of joy to fall down her face.

"Thank you for letting us know." Sonny offered for her.

Matt nodded and was about to leave.

"Dr. Hunter? Can I…can I sit with him?" Kristina asked.

"We will be moving him in about an hour to a room. I'll have the nurse come and get you then."

"Thank you. Thank you so much for saving him."

Matt left and Sonny turned and smiled at his daughter. "You see, I told you he'd be fine."

"I'm so glad he's ok. I can't imagine losing him like this." She shook her head as if trying to shake the thought out of her mind.

"I'm sure he could feel the love you have for him. No one in his right mind would leave you if they had any power over it."

She gave a sad smile to her dad at the sentiment. Remembering Ethan's words of love to her and how she didn't return them to him just hours before he risked his life for her. The guilt was eating her away.

"Dad, I think I'm going to try to get some rest before they come and get me to go see Ethan."

"Ok sweetheart. I'll just be outside for a while. I'm not going to leave you tonight." He said standing up from her bedside.

"Dad, thank you for coming after me. I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed her forehead and left her to rest.

Kristina turned in her bed and was alone with her thoughts. Ethan nearly died saving her and hours earlier she broke his heart. She looked down at the bracelet he gave her. How could she walk away from him when took a bullet aimed at her and Johnny.

Johnny. She hasn't had a moment to talk to him and hasn't even seen him. Where was he? Why had he not come to see her? She realized that she was in love with him but maybe he didn't feel the same way. Maybe she was supposed to be with Ethan and this was the universe's way of telling her that. Her heart ached to be held by Johnny right now but maybe it's just not meant to be. She cried herself to sleep at the thought.

Later that night.

Elizabeth came and got Kristina and took her to Ethan's room about an hour ago. She had been sitting at his bedside ever since. She had been holding his hand and dozed off next to him sitting in her chair. She woke up when she felt him squeeze her hand.

"K-Kristina? What…"

"Ethan? Ethan. Hi." She smiled at him so relieved to hear his voice.

"Hi Love. Whe…Are we at the hospital?" he was trying to focus on his surroundings.

"Yeah, you took a bullet meant for me and Johnny." She bit her lip. "I'm SO sorry Ethan. I don't deserve to have you love me."

He squeezed her hand tighter. "What are you talking about? Krissy, you deserve everything." He stopped for a breath, and she interrupted.

"Please don't do that. Don't be nice to me. This is about you. You're laying here because of how you feel about me and because you came after me. I'm so sorry Ethan. This is all my fault." She cried freely in front of him.

He reached up and wiped her cheek with his hand. "Kristina, that gun was aimed at Johnny and I jumped down because I didn't want you to lose the man you loved. I love you…" he paused for a breath "I love you enough to let you go and be…be with the man you love."

Kristina couldn't believe what Ethan was saying. After everything they've been through together it seemed unreal that this was happening. She didn't realize that the door to the room was opening slightly.

"I…I love you Ethan. Please know that I always will and I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me." She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

Johnny slowly closed the door without being noticed. He turned and left. He couldn't face Kristina. It was over.

The next day.

Kristina was dressed and ready to leave the hospital. She didn't understand why Johnny had not come by to see her. Elizabeth said she saw him in the hospital last night but if he was there why didn't he come see her? She was so confused and didn't know what to think other than maybe he didn't _want_ to see her.

Elizabeth wheeled Kristina to Ethan's room for her to say goodbye.

"Hi" she said upon entering.

"Hi Love. You heading home today?"

"Yeah, Dad is signing my discharge papers for me right now."

"Where's John?" he asked confused. I thought you'd be heading home with him. Elizabeth gave him a look that said 'don't' while she looked over his chart.

"I, I don't know where he is. I haven't seen him since the shooting." She admitted feeling slightly embarrassed to be admitting this to Ethan after everything.

"That doesn't make any sense." He asked confused.

"Don't even think about it Ethan. It's no big deal. You just concentrate on getting better ok." She offered him the best smile she could muster up given that her heart was aching.

"You don't have to pretend with me Kristina." He reached out to hold her hand. She accepted it and squeezed it tightly.

"Ethan, I appreciate your concern but the last thing I want you thinking about is me and Johnny ok. You're my friend and I want my friend to concentrate on getting better. That's it ok." She said firmly but sweetly.

"Yes ma'am." He grinned that lopsided grin that captured her heart years ago.

"I'll come by tomorrow."

"You just rest too, don't worry about me love. I'll call you when I make my escape."

"You better." She kissed his cheek and left with Elizabeth's help.

Ethan stared off lost in thought as to why in the world John would be ignoring Kristina right now. Then it occurred to him that Kristina never made it to his place after she realized how she felt. He picked up the phone.

"Hello" Johnny answered.

"Hey, I need to see you, can you come by GH?"

Although this wasn't what he had planned to do today he knew he owed Ethan nearly any request he made right now. After all he did save not only his life but Kristina's as well. "Yeah, sure. I'll uh be there in about an hour." With that he hung up.

An hour later at GH

Ethan had his head back on his pillow and appeared to be lost in thought when Johnny opened the door to his hospital room.

"Hey."

"Hey John. Thanks for coming." He propped his head up as much as he could on his pillow.

"Yeah, well, I guess I owe you one. You did save my life." He shifted slightly not really realizing why he was there other than maybe Ethan wanted to gloat or warn him to stay away from Kristina now that she's made his choice. Either way he figured he'd give him the satisfaction as repayment for taking the bullet meant for him.

"Do you know why I saved your life John?" he questioned him.

"I'm guessing because my body happened to be the one that was covering Kristina, trust me I have no misguided ideas that you were trying to save me personally." He stared at him coldly.

Ethan looked at him with a look that could only be described as bitter amusement. "Well mate, I hate to disappoint you but I saved you knowing that bullet was going to hit you. It wasn't because you were covering Kristina."

Johnny stared at his former friend for a moment trying to put together what Ethan was trying to tell him but coming up empty. The silent stare at one another hung awkwardly in the room. "So, what are you trying to tell me Ethel?"

"I'm trying to give you the advice you gave to me a few months back. To stop being a bloody idiot and go after the woman that we both know you love."

Johnny narrowed his eyes in confusion and just stared at Ethan trying to read his face. "What the hell are you talking about? Kristina made her choice and I would think that you of all people would be shoving me as far away from her as possible."

"What do you mean Kristina made her choice?" Ethan asked.

"Look, I saw you two kissing at Kelly's before this whole mess happened, then I heard you both say you loved each other last night. I'm not going to put Kristina through any additional stress or confusion by trying convince her to be with me over you. I love and respect her enough to let her go and let her be happy." Johnny replied trying to sound tough and honorable but Ethan knew his former friend wanted to do anything but let her go.

"Have you talked to Kristina?" he asked almost accusingly.

"No. I was trying to spare her the formality of ending it all."

Ethan shook his head and let a small laugh escape. "You're a damn fool."

"You know what Ethel, I think my owing you one has just ended. Just treat Kristina right or I will beat the holy hell out of you and you'll wish that bullet finished you off." He threatened and began to walk out.

"She loves you, you bloody moron." He shouted, catching John's attention. He stopped and turned back around.

"That kiss you witnessed was me trying, but her realizing that her heart now belonged to you."

Johnny looked at him with confusion on his face as he was trying to process the information.

"It's my fault. I let too much time go by pushing her away because I thought it was the right thing to do, and I wouldn't admit it even to myself how I really felt about her. She is an amazing woman, and now I have to settle for being her friend instead of the man she's in love with. You see John, those were her words to me. She loves me, yes, but she's _in _love with you."

Johnny was still processing but if this was all true and Kristina was in love with him…"Why are you telling me all this?" he asked suspiciously.

"I don't blame you for not trusting me John. I wouldn't either if I were you. I am telling you this because I love Kristina, and I'm still _in _love with Kristina, so just like you I want her to be happy. I saved you because losing you would kill her and I would do anything to spare her that kind of pain." He paused and sat up a little straighter. "But…if you don't go after Kristina and treat her the way she deserves to be treated, the way I should have treated her to begin with, then by bloody hell, I will chase after her heart with every ounce of strength I have."

Johnny knew that although Ethan was not kidding he also was trying to be a friend to both him and Kristina. He was hiding it behind cocky bravado but if he didn't wish them well he wouldn't be doing what he was doing right now. He walked over to him and extended his hand. Ethan took it and they shook hands.

"Thanks." Johnny offered.

"Treat her right. As long as you do, you'll have no issue from me." Ethan gave him a small half smile.

"Well, uh, I guess I'm going to go and try and get our girl to talk to me."

Ethan let out a small laugh. "Good luck mate."

"Thanks again Ethel." And with that Johnny left to find Kristina.

Sonny's

Kristina was laying on the couch with Grumpy on the other side. Sonny was making lunch in the kitchen even though she was not hungry. She missed Johnny and didn't know why he hadn't called or texted or stopped by the hospital. She realized that she had not yet told him that she had made her decision but after what they went through last night she thought it was odd he was still giving her 'space'. Maybe the same thing was happening to her and Johnny now that happened with Ethan but in reverse. Maybe she asked for space and now he's moved on. She reached for her phone and finally gave in. She sent him a text asking if they could talk. Her heart was aching hoping she hadn't messed this up before it really even started.

Max knocked and then entered carrying a dozen lavender roses. Kristina slowly turned her legs off the couch and onto the floor, her knees still sore enough that she didn't get up.

"Delivery Kristina." Max placed the vase on Sonny's desk and then began to clear more room.

"Max, what…" she began to say but saw several other guards carrying in more roses, each a different color. But, some of these guards were Johnny's not Sonny's.

There was a dozen Lavender, pink, white, orange, and yellow, all in glass vases matching the color of the flower they carried, then Johnny came walking in carrying a dozen red roses in a bound bouquet.

"I just got your text." He smiled and walked over to her setting the bouquet of red roses in her lap, but I didn't have a free hand.

"Johnny" she said as she smiled a smile that melted his heart. "What…what is all this?"

"I wanted to" he started to say and saw Sonny enter from the kitchen but continued uncensored. He had to get this said and he didn't care if Sonny was present or not. "I wanted to, tell you how sorry I am that all of this happened, and how sorry I am jumping to the wrong conclusion with you and Ethan."

"What do you mean?" she asked confused.

"I mean, I thought you had made your choice, and that it was Ethan and so I was trying to honor and respect your decision and back off but I was wrong and I should have talked to you about it rather than just assuming. I understand that you love Ethan and that he is important to you. I just hope that I am too because Kristina, I love you. I love you so much that the thought of backing away from you was killing me but I loved you enough to do it if it was what you wanted and what was going to make you happy, but still it felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest." He paused for a second to clear his throat and take her hand in his. "I need you to know that I'm in love with you. I love the smell of your hair, the way you kick your shoes off at the bottom of the stairs, the way you stand in front of the fridge for 5 minutes before you can decide what you want from it" she laughed through glassy tears that were beginning to fall, he wiped one away and continued. "I love the way you don't hide how you feel about any given topic of conversation, and how you don't back down, and this guy right here" he rubbed Grumpy behind one ear. "I love this guy. I liked him before, but after he saved you, I will love him forever." She laughed and wiped another tear off her cheek. "Please accept my apology for being a dumb jerk."

Kristina pressed her lips together trying to regain some composure. Tears were falling from her face but she was still smiling at him. She took a deep breath. "Well, what is love without a few bumps and misunderstandings along the way." She gripped his hand and gave him a serious stare. "I want you to know that when Ethan and I talked last night I told him that I loved him but that I was _in _love with you. I realized last night that you have given me everything I have ever wanted in a man, and everything I ever wanted in a relationship, but more than anything it's what you've given my heart, you've given me a feeling of love not only for you, but you help me love me more too. You give me strength and you give me courage, and I know if you hadn't been in my life I wouldn't have gotten through last night as safely as I did. You being in my life, saved my life. I love Johnny. I love you so much."

He leaned in and kissed her. The guards excused themselves and left the room without a word. Sonny could not believe what just happened in front of his eyes. His enemy was kissing his daughter and saying things to her that would bring a tear to even his eyes. He was torn. Everything in him told him to kick Johnny out of his house but the other part of him knew that wouldn't solve anything. He was also seeing with his own eyes the depth of feelings between Johnny and Kristina and although upsetting it is still what any father would want for his daughter. Someone that would live and die to protect his child, and love her through it all. This wasn't Johnny using Kristina or some kind of game. This was real. At the moment when he wasn't sure if he was going to speak or leave the room, Johnny stood up and looked towards him.

"Sonny, I know this isn't what you want to hear but I want you to know that I am not playing any game here. I love Kristina and I know that puts us in a position neither of us ever thought we'd be in but I want to give this more than a try. I want this to work. You have my word that I will do everything in my power to keep her safe and protect her."

Kristina sat on the couch and looked cautiously at her father. What Sonny said really didn't matter to her other than it would make her life easier if he accepted her and Johnny's relationship.

Sonny looked at his daughter and maybe a couple of months ago his answer would have been different but the time he has spent with her recently getting to know her has been insightful. His daughter was going to be with Johnny if that was what she wanted regardless of any protest from him. He would however keep her in his life, and keep her trust if he accepted this and just maintained to be there for her if/when anything happens.

"John, I appreciate the feelings you and Kristina have for each other, and I know better now than to try to run Kristina's life for her. Honestly, you know, you wouldn't be my first choice for my daughter but I also know that I wouldn't have wanted anyone else with me last night going after the scum that took her than you. You have proven that you love her and right now I will accept it." Sonny extended his hand.

Johnny shook Sonny's hand. "Thank you." With that Sonny nodded, gave a smile to his daughter, and went back into the kitchen. Johnny turned back towards Kristina and sat down next to her on the couch. "You know, my father really wasn't much of a father to me, but the one thing he did teach me was roses." He smiled changing the subject.

Kristina wiped more tears off her face sniffling them back. "Really? Well, you chose beautifully." She said looking at the garden around her.

"Do you know what each color means?" he asked.

"I know red means love, and I think white means innocence, but I don't know the others." She confessed.

"Well, let me tell you." He stood up and walked over to the bouquets. "Lavender is enchantment, which I sent to you because you have enchanted me beyond my wildest imagination. Yellow is happiness, which I sent to you because you have made me happy, and I haven't felt just pure happiness like this ever. Just being with you or thinking about you makes me happy. Pink is for grace and I have seen you transform from a crazy teenager to someone that is confident and carries herself with the grace of someone twice her age. Orange is for desire, which I didn't send you because of conventional desire." He smiled mischievously. "I sent orange because I desire you both physically and emotionally. White is for innocence and purity. Your soul is the purist soul I have ever encountered. You never make me wonder what you are feeling. You are honest and true to your heart. You have been physically and emotionally beaten down by life at times and you come back optimism and generosity, and I have no idea how you do that. Red, is quite obviously for love. I love you Kristina. I know it's fast and I know we still have more to learn and explore about each other but I can't think of anything I'd rather do." He knelt down next to her on the couch. She was crying happy tears and reached out to hold either side of his face as she kissed him and then wrapped her arms around his neck to bury herself in his neck.

"You know, when I left Kelly's last night after talking to Ethan, all I could think about was getting to you. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops that I loved you. You make me so happy, and being with you makes me feel complete. Like all of a sudden a light switch was flipped on in my heart. I've run around like a crazy person thinking I knew what love was or what it felt like but I didn't. To love someone, you put them first, and you think about them before yourself, you have patience for them, and you want them to be happy more than anything else in the world. That's how I feel about you. If I didn't make you happy I would step away because more than anything I want you to be happy, and you, you have put me first since the moment we met. You have been amazing to me and I don't know what I've done in my life to deserve you."

"Well, do you think you're ready to come home with me because all I want to do is hold you in my arms and not let go."

She laughed and shook her head yes. "I'm so ready." Johnny scooped her up in his arms.

"Oh wait…wait.." she yelled over her shoulder. "Dad?"

Sonny came back out of the kitchen. "Yeah honey?"

"Could you watch Grumpy for me for a while?" she looked so happy Sonny couldn't help but smile. He was very worried but couldn't ruin this for his daughter, he would at least give her today. "Sure. We'll be fine."

"Thanks Dad." She smiled knowing that was very difficult for her father.

She looked back at Johnny and the two left back to his penthouse to find happiness in just being with each other. They didn't know what tomorrow would bring but they knew they were excited that they'd be finding out together. It wasn't planned and it wasn't expected and they had to wonder if maybe after everything growing up in this life has done to them, was this the way it was always supposed to be? Maybe they were destined to be the 'something missing' for the other. Of course, it could also be that maybe they found something in the other that just clicked and the rest just fell into place. Life has a way of giving you what you need even if it didn't come to you the way you thought you wanted it to, and it ends up being better than you ever could have imagined on your own.

_Lyrics from One and Only by Adele. _


End file.
